Blood Discovery
by LSinclair12
Summary: Takes place in 2x09, starts with the scene just after the bomb, and then I take over. What happens if having Eric's blood caused a different reaction from Sookie? Will eventually be an Eric/Sookie pairing (and will eventually become mature audience with lemons). First fanfic, be gentle!
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** _ **This is my first attempt at fanfiction EVER so please be gentle with me. I have been reading them for years, and have finally found the courage to give it a go myself. That being said, a few disclaimers before we continue…**_

 _ **1.I have not read the Southern Vampire Mysteries…although I've heard the ending of where/who Sookie ends up with and can't say I really like the idea.**_

 _ **2.I've always been an Eric Sookie shipper, I HATED Bill. He just seemed so fake to me.**_

 _ **3\. I do not own anything, sadly, all the original characters are property of Charlene Harris. Don't sue me.**_

 _ **This story takes place in 2x09 "I Will Rise Up". I use part of the original True Blood script and then take it in a different direction. Instead of jumping to the other views in the scene, as the true episode does, I stay with Bill/Eric/Sookie. No copyright infringement intended.**_

 _ **Please review and let me know your thoughts. I'll see if I can come up with a direction for plot, and we'll go from there. Happy reading!**_

 **Blood Discovery**

SPOV

"Sookeh!" I vaguely heard Bill call my name in the distance. Why does he seem far away? It takes me a minute to gain my bearings, and then rebuild my shields, before I realize there is an immobile weight on top of me. I shift slightly, trying to shake the fog that has settled over my brain. What happened?

OH. THE BOMB. My eyes snap open.

"Bill" I groan, as I hear another voice begin speaking from…on top of me? I then realize it's Eric.

"I've covered her, she's only stunned" he says. Oh is that so. Great. "Get the humans" Eric tells Bill. His eyes meet mine, and I nod my head in agreement. We need to know why, and how many of them there are. After a moments pause, Bill speeds off.

I start to shuffle my body, realizing my head feels like it's going to explode because Eric is still lying on top of me.

"I can't breathe, you weigh a ton" I say as I push against his body with the little strength I have. With his massive form now laying immobile beside me, my brain starts to wake up.

"Jason….JASON!" I yell, sitting up and looking around. Please oh please, Lord tell me he wasn't injured. He's all I have left! Just as I start rushing towards panic, I heard him emerge from the rubble. After shaking off some type of body part (that I'd rather not identify) he gives me a thumbs up and an "okay".

I hear groaning from behind me, and turn back to Eric. A small "uh-oh" escapes my lips as I start to access his current state. Even with his impressive muscles, and tight black tank top, I can see that he has taken a lot of shrapnel from the bomb.

"Had to shield you" he barely makes out to me.

"Well hurry up and heal yourself, what are you waiting for?!" Silly vampire. Time is a tickin' and we need Mr. High and Mighty to check in and take charge, as he so loves to do.

"Can't. Silver" he says. Cheese and rice! I can only think of getting his Maker, he's older and can help him.

"I'll go get Godric" I say, but his hand on my wrist stops me. "No time" he gasps. Holy crow! What do I DO?! Eric must have seen the panicked look cross my face, because he then says "Suck it out".

Say what now? "Eric I cant … it's too gross … and it's you" I manage, trying not to let him realize how disgusted I am by the idea of having his blood. With Bill and I, it's somewhat intimate, I'm giving him my life source so he can survive as we connect physically (another thing that is super new to me). But overall the whole idea still kind of grosses me out…even if I am dating a vampire, doesn't mean I have got over my heebie jeebies about blood. As I debate back and forth about this dying suggestion my mind is spinning…

"I …. Dying…" Eric chokes. ARGH. I gasp. This has GOT to be the worst case scenario, but I have to act fast. He did save me after all. "Oh, son of a mother-" I exclaim as I climb on top of him, shove my hair out of the way and lean down. I never thought I'd see the day…

I begin sucking at the wound on his neck, trying to keep any of his blood from making its way down my throat. I feel the small bud of silver hit my lips and I spit the blood and piece out immediately.

"Got it" I say triumphantly, thinking that should be enough. It was a big enough piece, but he should already be healing by now. "The other one" I hear Eric say. "You're kidding me!" Come ON buddy! I was just about to argue when I hear him groan again. "UGH" I sigh and start on the next one I can see, working to get the other piece of silver from yet another wound. I thought I heard a small growl from Eric as I continue, trying my best not to let any of his blood make its way into my system, but disregard it as the room is still full of angry, bleeding vampires. Soon I hear Bill's voice from behind me. Thank goodness he's back! He'll probably have a better plan than I do.

I was surprised by the tone of his voice as he asks "what are you doing?" I spit out the second bullet and reply "I sucked silver out of Eric's chest and saved his life, even though I REALLY didn't want to". Not like I wanted to but hey, now we're even on this episode of "Save My Life"… that could be a really good soap opera. Just before my mind starts spinning out on a tangent about that excellent and ridiculous show I hear a cocky comment from Eric.

"She was superb". Um…WHAT?! I whip my head to him as I see a look of outrage cross my boyfriend's face. My jaw must have hit the floor as I whip my head back toward Bill.

"Eric was in no danger" he admits, I can hear the bile in his voice and the rage is starting to course through me. Is that my emotion? I can't remember ever feeling this angry before … maybe it's the adrenaline. But wait … all my insides are shifting like I ate bad pizza or drank spoiled milk. I haven't felt this before. Before I can deliberate farther, the rage takes over and I snap up.

"He- WHAT?" I manage. My mind is racing. My insides are all over the place. What is going ON right now?! I make eye contact with Eric who is now laying with one hand behind his head, as if he just went for a romp in the hay.

"A tiny falsehood" he supplies, and I again snap my head back to Bill.

"He was already healing" he tells me, hanging his head.

I can't tell if he's fighting the urge to roll his eyes, or tear me apart.

"The bullets would have pushed themselves out" he continues. "This way, he's forced you to drink his blood" Bill concludes.

Betrayal. White hot rage starts coursing through me. I'm a FOOL. "No" I squeak, feeling this anger welling inside me. "No, NO!" I can't think of anything. How. What. What have I done?

"You're connected. He'll be able to sense your emotions" Bill finishes. I look back at him. He's looking a mix of disgusted and …betrayed. Really? Didn't I just learn that he cheated on me with his maker? Don't think I've forgotten about that buddy.

I turn back on Eric. "YOU LYING A-HOLE!" I want so badly to stomp on his face, or spit the silver back into him, but I can't think of anything. I'm so confused. I thought he would heal on his own, but he told me he was in pain, he was DYING. What did I miss? Did he just take advantage of my naivety?

"You're right Bill, I do believe I can feel her emotions" Eric adds with a triumphant grin.

Oh my gosh. Oh HECK. I have to get out of here. I turn to Bill, he's looking at me with a look of pity. EFF that. I pivot on my heel and start running, trying to side step damage. As I start turning, I see Bill about to approach Eric more on the subject, but my mind is made up. I need to get out of here. Away. I need to regroup. I need to think about what I've done and just what the flipping heck is happening to my insides.

I reach the other end of the room and see Godric. His eyes are so full of sorrow, I feel my own eyes start to water. It's like I'm looking into a mirror that's reflecting half of the emotions coursing through me. I feel like the two sides of me have split. The Good Sookie is about to break down and sob, the Other Sookie is about to go on a tirade. Yelling, staking Eric, and telling Bill where he can put that look of nothing but pity. I turn again, and start to continue my pursuit out of the room. Another hand on my wrist stops me.

"Sook?" Jason looks at me, seeing my eyes filling with tears, and my hands starting to shake.

"Get me out of here Jas. Take me home" I whisper.

Please let me know your thoughts! **~Lea**


	2. Chapter 2

**_AN: THANK YOU to all those who wrote a review or followed! I was really nervous getting this going (especially with no real plot plan), but your support has been greatly appreciated! From here on out I am aiming everything to be my spin on True Blood, so any simmilarities are purely coincidence. Characters aren't mine. Don't sue!_**

 _LAST TIME_

 _Sookie thought she was saving Eric, but really he tricked her into taking his blood. Bill comes back and informs her Eric can now feel her emotions, and pities her for being so stupid. Sookie starts questioning things, and instead of turning to Bill, decides to flee._

 **Blood Discovery**

 _"Sook?" Jason looks at me, seeing my eyes filling with tears, and my hands starting to shake._

 _"Get me out of here Jas. Take me home" I whisper._

My big brother may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he has always been my knight in shining armour. One look at me, and he went into action. With a nod of his head, he swooped me up bridal style and jogged (carefully sidestepping the remaining carnage from the bomb) out to the street. The fresh air on my face immediately cooled my flush cheeks, as I feel the tears start trickling down my face.

Jason looks around and sees what must have been the bomber's getaway car off to the side of the road. The driver side door is hanging slightly off the hinges, wide open, and it seems there's even keys in the ignition. Well, lucky day! Jason jogs to the passenger side and awkwardly opens the door with two fingers that are tucked under my knees. Nudging the door farther open with his hip, he drops me carefully onto the seat.

"I got you sis" he says, as he closes the door and sprints over to the driver's side. The tears are falling freely now as I buckle my seat belt and close my eyes. My mind is racing with everything that happened tonight. The fellowship. Godric. Lorena. ERIC. I close my eyes and try to calm my raging mind as I hear Jason put the car in gear and floor it.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

I open my eyes at the sound of crunching gravel. As the front tire hits a large pothole, I recognize that we've reached my driveway. Home. The drive from Dallas must have gone quickly, and we seemed to have made it home in about 2 hours.

Jason parks the borrowed vehicle, and turns to me in his seat.

"How ya doin Sook?" he asks. What a loaded question. How am I doing? Well, I was almost raped by a church cult trying to save a vampire I don't know, after finally losing my virginity to my boyfriend who cheated on me, only to be tricked by yet another vampire, to drink his blood and probably turn into his telepathic slave. I decide to summarize.

"Well Jason, I've had better days. Thanks for getting me out of there. There was just too much going on and I thought my head was going to explode". He gives me a small smile and nods his head.

"I can only imagine, the vampers had everything under control so I didn't want to stick around any longer either" he turns back to the wheel of our borrowed car.

"I think I'm gonna drop this hunk of junk off at the scrapyard and see if I can get a deal for it" he says, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of some more funds for Merlotte pitchers. "You'll be okay for the rest of the night? I can stay ya know?" he offers. _I wonder if I can get a few hundred for this car without having to tell em where I found it. I could use a few bucks for this weekend, Dawn said she's coming over._

After his loud broadcasting I shake my head and lean over to give him a peck on the cheek.  
"No, I'm fine. Thank you. Come by for dinner soon, kay?" He nods, and I proceed to get out of the car and close the door. With a wave, Jason makes his way back down the gravelly driveway into the darkness. I scurry up my front porch quickly and realize all my belongings are still in Dallas. _Shit_.

Just as I was about to dig out the hide a key a whoosh of air has my fear spiking and my body turning towards my dark front yard.

"Sweetheart" Bill says, advancing up the porch at human speed and grasping me by my upper arms. "You left the nest without me" he says, his grasp on my arms firm and just below painful.

I stutter "uh….yeah…there was too much going on. I needed to clear my head. I'm uh sorry". _Wait, what am I apologizing for? That I left without his permission?_ I feel my back straighten a tiny bit as my head begins to analyze Bill's next words more carefully.

"You should not be out at night without my supervision. Eric can track you now, and you are not safe." He explains, his grip still on my biceps, his thumbs starting to dig into my small muscles there. Not wanting to get into this conversation, I try to think of a way to travel the small distance to my back door.

"I um…I… okay, you're right. I just want to get to bed. Will you walk me to my back door?" I ask, making my southern accent a tad stronger with my ridiculous request. _Because a little poor thing like me couldn't make it to the back of my property without his supervision, don't cha know?_

Bill nods his head, and thank goodness finally loosens his grip around my arms in order to tuck one of my hands around his arm. If a stranger had seen us, you would have thought we were just returning from a casual night out. Bill being the perfect gentleman, escorting his woman home, and walking her safely to the door. Except my hair is crazy, still sporting soot and ashes, and I'm sure my pretty white coat has more than just some dirt on it. We walk the distance to my back door, which I thankfully keep unlocked. I don't tend to use it often, as to not advertise the fact it is usually open. I don't have any neighbours nearby but I've come to learn, you never really know who's lurking in the dark.

As we reach the back porch, I move to disengage my hand from Bill's but he squeezes it. I squeak at the pressure. _Human here, mister!_

"I would very much like to secure your safety tonight my Sookeh" Bill says, as he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear and leans closer to my face. Keeping in mind my goal to get inside, I try to think of a way not to insult him. I look up into his eyes, a polite rejection on my lips, as I feel a pressure build behind my eyes, like the oncoming of a migraine.

 _Is my boyfriend SERIOUSLY trying to glamour me right now?!_ The pull increases as I maintain eye contact, trying hard not to let the rage show on my perfectly manicured expression.

"Thank you Bill, I would prefer to conclude this evening on my own. I've had a lot of excitement and would just like to rest my eyes" I let out, laying on the southern sweetness I'm praying he can't deny and finally dropping my eyes from his gaze. Even to my ears it sounds too well rehearsed. _Shoot_ _did I just blow it? I hope he doesn't see through it. Please oh please oh please oh please…._

After the world's longest pause he finally sighs and says "Fine. I will call on you first thing tomorrow evening". I give the smallest nod, with pursed lips, and allow his to drop a kiss onto my forehead. I turn and make the small distance up my back porch. My heart has started hammering. So close, so _close_. I make it to the screen door and pull it open, trying not to move too quickly. It squeaks and just as my hand hits the door knob I feel a hard hand on my shoulder. My heart leaps to my throat. NO.

I turn and Bill is pressed right against me. Damn vampire speed. His fangs have run down.

Oh no, oh no, oh no. He is flush against me, and can no doubt hear my heart hammering against my chest. Breathe Sookie. His dark eyes bore into mine as I stand stock still. Moving ever so slowly, he leans down. _Oh gracious don't bite me._ I don't know what I'd do if he tried to bite me right now. Actually that's a lie, I'd scream bloody murder if he tried. He continues, and to my absolute mortification he leans his nose right into the small v neck of my jacket and licks a tiny bit of blood from my cleavage.

 _YUCK!_

"Goodnight my Sookeh" he says in a gravelly tone, and then kisses me. I remain stock still and send a thousand prayers of thanks to Jesus that his kiss was quick. He pulls back and takes off at vampire speed.

Thank the Lord. I turn and open the back door as quickly as my shaking human hands allow. I close it and lock the small handle and door lock, pressing my back against it. I then sprint to the front door and turn the deadbolt on top of the already locked handle, grab the hunting rifle from the front closet, and sprint up the stairs two at a time to the bathroom. Once inside I close the door, turn my back to it, and slide down with my hands still firmly holding the long rifle. My butt hits the floor and all of the energy drains out of me. Holy Moses that was close. I have never been terrified of Bill before. Not even on the first night I met him. But tonight, he sent me mixed messages and it scared the bejeezus out of me.

He asked why I left without him, when he could have stopped me at any time. He came to my home but didn't bring any of my belongings, nor did he ask if I was okay. He could have easily beat us here with his vampire speed, even with Jason driving like a bat out of hell. All of a sudden my gut starts twisting. I feel like I've been sucker punched for the umpteenth time in one night. I don't think Bill is as chivalrous as I believed. Why am I only seeing this now? Why has the lightbulb only just come on now? What changed?

Another lightbulb hits me. The blood. That has to be it. Right? That's the only thing that was different. That and Bill's infidelity. I've heard girls analyzing their boyfriend's actions after they've been cheated on, and it seems that it's normal to look back and see actions in a different light. But I can't help this nagging feeling that it also has to do with ingesting the small portion of Eric's blood tonight. That train of thought has me thinking about the times that Bill and I shared blood. Very few times I would call it romantic, and he had only given me his blood to **save** me. Never anything more. Eric just went out of his way to give his blood to me when Bill has only offered it when absolutely necessary. Does Eric just want to track me so I can work for him more? Does he want to try and manipulate me? That's a whole other can of words that I put a hard pause on for another time. Right now I'm assessing Bill, and his actions tonight are the last thing I would ever want in a boyfriend. Nodding my head in assertion of the decision I've made, I get up from the floor, rest the rifle on the counter of the bathroom and proceed to get ready for bed. After a shower, where I deliberated my decision farther, I quickly brush my teeth, throw on a nightgown and climb into bed.

I tossed and turned for hours. Reliving the bombing. Reliving the basement at the Fellowship Church and over analyzing Eric and Bill's actions. It was about 4 AM when I woke up, eyes staring blankly at the ceiling that I looked out the window to see the sky starting to lighten. It came with a peace and sense of power, and as I saw the sun crest over the trees in my front yard, I closed my eyes and whispered:

"Bill Compton, I rescind your invitation".

Cliff hanger I know, sorry I'm moving slowly but lemons are in the near future I PROMISE.

~Lea


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: This one is a long one for all you beautiful people. Happy Friday!_

 _PS: My language will start to get a bit stronger in the upcoming chapters, fair warning!_

 _LAST TIME_

 _I tossed and turned for hours. Reliving the bombing. Reliving the basement at the Fellowship Church and over analyzing Eric and Bill's actions. It was about 4 AM when I woke up, eyes staring blankly at the ceiling that I looked out the window to see the sky starting to lighten. It came with a peace and sense of power, and as I saw the sun crest over the trees in my front yard, I closed my eyes and whispered:_

 _"Bill Compton, I rescind your invitation"._

 _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

So I'll admit. I hadn't really made a plan of action when I rescinded my then "boyfriend's" invitation. I just knew I wanted space, I no longer wanted to be with him, and I wanted to feel safe in my own house again. It seemed like the best course of action. But when I woke only a few short hours the next morning, I realized that I was going to have a very angry vampire on my hands, and I needed a plan.

Whenever I started planning I work with the things I know. I KNOW I don't want Bill in my house. I KNOW given our last conversation there isn't much (if anything) I want to say to him, and I KNOW that Bill mentioned that this blood nonsense would wear off in a while. So my plan thus far was to wait it out. So that's exactly what I did. I kept normal hours, I worked, I cleaned, I sunbathed, and I put 120% effort into restoring my life back to what it was before all the chaos came in.

In that time frame I also planned contingencies. I bought silver bullets. I bought a lot of cheap chopsticks (the perfect sized to fit in my clutch). I bought silver spray and I started researching self-defence. I reconnected with all of my friends and got onto somewhat good terms with them. Sam was the most accepting (of course) of the fact that I wasn't going to cut people out of my life because of their supernatural genetics, but I wasn't going out of my way to keep them in it either. Tara didn't get it but she agreed to support me as much as possible. I didn't even bother with Arlene. I work with her and we'll stay civil when we need to, but that's it.

It was working, I felt better. I felt like me. Bill hadn't been around. Not a peep. No phone calls, no lurking (that I knew of) and no harassment. Maybe he hadn't realized I'd rescinded his invitation? Maybe he did and didn't care. Lousy thing did cheat on me, maybe he crawled back to that piece of work that is his maker. Whatever. I didn't care.

It wasn't until about two weeks after Dallas that the ugliness reared its head again. I had purposely been keeping daylight hours, and was quite put out when I heard the disgusting thoughts of one Bobby Burnham tromping up my driveway towards my stretched out lawn chair one sunny Sunday.

 _Damn look at those TITS. I guess I can't blame Northman for wanting to keep that around. Nice tight stomach, and I bet the curves are even better on the back end…_

I rolled my eyes and tried not to cover my bikini clad form as he approached my chair that I had spread out in the middle of the backyard.

"Bobby" I said with noncommittal acknowledgment. "I wish I could say it's a pleasure. What can I do for you?" I could hear Gran slapping my hand with a wooden spoon for my attitude, but my panties were in a bunch that this jerk ruined my tanning vibe.

"Ms. Stackhouse. You're looking lovely today." I could feel his eyes roam over me top to bottom, and felt like I had just been slimed. _EW_. I nodded, hoping he would hurry the heck up and get off my yard.

"I've come to deliver this package from Mr. Northman." My eyebrows shot up, and I look over to see he has a large envelope in his hands. Bobby hands it to me and I accept it, noting that it is a blank legal sized envelope, with two clipped bundles and a letter tucked inside, unsealed.

"He asks for your presence at Fangtasia tonight to discuss the contents, if you are available?"

 _My goodness, is he actually verging polite? What could Eric possible want now?_ I ponder this for a moment, as Bobby shifts impatiently.

 _She would probably be pretty fun in bed, don't need brains for that. I bet she tastes as good as she looks. I could slum for a bit, bet I could convince her easily if I wave a fifty in front of her. I could just lick that sweat from her belly button all the way –_

"Thank you Bobby. I will see Mr. Northman tonight. You have a good day now!" I say, adding a shooing motion at the end, hoping he will leave as quickly as he appeared. He tucks his hands behind his back, gives a stiff half bow and shuffles away. _What a CREEP._

As I hear his thoughts retreat, I quickly take my shades off, cross my legs under me and open the envelope. The two clipped documents are about 20 pages each, and are of a contract for a temporary employee. I put those down on the lawn chair, to read over more carefully later. The third item is a hand written letter, on blank cream coloured card stock in the most elegant calligraphy I have ever seen. Effortlessly elegant, the card has a simple large S in the middle and has been sealed honest to goodness with red wax and some kind of crest. Talk about straight out of a romance novel folks. I realize that my insides started to flutter. What the –

 _Sookie_

 _I kindly request that you take the time to review the document I have attached. You'll notice it is a casual contract between you and I. After the events in Dallas I believe you require more security for your position that Bill can no longer provide. Please review the documents, make any changes you deem fit, and I look forward to deliberating this evening._

 _Wear red._

 _E.N_

If steam could blow out my ears, I'd be going off like something out of the Buggs Bunny and Tweety Show. THAT JERK! I was just about to pitch the thing into the pond in the back when something in my gut told me to read the contract. I hesitantly put the letter down and reached for the bundled items I had tucked away moments ago. They seemed to be very legal. I, Sookie Stackhouse, the employee, agree to work the terms outlined by Eric Northman, the employer blah blah blah. Typical labour law stuff, entitled to benefits after statutory probationary period. I skim read most of the first ten pages until I reached the section that said "Duties". _I bet he put a sex clause in…or a stripping portion._ I thought snidely, going through the items of what exactly this employment would mean. I search and search, and the one page bullet form notes truly just aligned me as an Human Resources employee. Eric essentially outlined my telepathy without actually saying it. Phrases such as "will ensure all employees are experiencing a fair and comfortable working environment" and "will manage any employee complaints, or cause for alarm within the staff as well as clientele" pretty much outline me scanning patrons for him. _Hmmmmm, what's the catch?_ I look at the uniform – business casual. I look at the times and days expected – evenings according to the employee's availability, any longer absences to be approved by the employee no later than 7 days ahead of time. There HAS to be something in fine print that I'm missing. After reading through as much legal mumbo jumbo as I can manage, I decide to tuck the information aside for now. I had agreed to meet Eric no matter what. _Why did I do that?_ I still haven't seen that a-hole since he tricked me. I lean back in my lawn chair and stretch out again, I still have a good 3 hours before I'd even have to consider moving indoors to get ready, so I tell myself I'll enjoy the sun then get to my game plan for the night.

At about 4PM I finally tuck my lawn chair away, and hop in the shower. My skin feels a slight tingle from the nice roast in the sunshine, and I will have a wonderful glow tonight. I have a plan and it's a good one. After feeling so taken advantage of both Bill and Eric in Dallas I have no interest in falling victim to something, I want to go in with my head held high and full understanding IF I am even considering this as an option. I enjoy working for Sam, but I can't deny that my bank account could use a boost.

I take a bit more time in my appearance. That being said, not much, I curled my hair and touched up my toe nails and slip into my outfit for the night. Definitely NOT red. But me and enough of a head turner, if I do say so myself. I throw a set of chopsticks, my keys, lipgloss, ID and credit card into my clutch, slide my toes into a cute pair of high heeled wedges and walk out the door.

Here we go!

 _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

EPOV

I rise for the evening with a spark of curiosity. I had received a text from Bobby confirming that Sookie had in fact agreed to meet me at Fangtasia tonight. Having not seen her since my small deception in Dallas, I was not expecting her to be so cordial. I find myself tapping our weak bond, as I have every night I've risen since then, to find it as it always is – dormant. Such a frustration for me. I realized quite quickly after her ingesting my blood that I could not feel any slight of her emotions, only her location.

I trashed my office for the millionth time that night.

When I had schemed to get my blood into the blonde vixen, I had hoped it would give me some headway into her emotions. A true conundrum for me, I was unused to being unable to glamour her. I was even more unused to her strong repulsion towards me. Even more baffling that she really did seem to be repulsed by me, physically disgusted. An amotion I can never recall enticing from the opposite sex so strongly. I dress for an evening at Fangtasia in my usual garb. Leather pants and a scrap of a vest. I decide to leave more skin accessible in case this evening by chance ends pleasantly. I add combat boots, grab my keys and take my Porsche to Fangtasia, arriving in mere minutes. As I enter through the employee entrance, I type in the pin and use my thumbprint to access my office.

I swing the door open and my nostrils flare. _Fairy_. I have not scented one in hundreds of years, but I could never forget the sweetness. My fangs drop as I assess the surroundings. Sitting in my chair is none other than Niall Brigant. The Prince of Fairies. He has made himself comfortable, hands behind his head, his long legs crossed on my desk. _What the flying fuck?_

"Fairy" I growl as Niall acknowledges me with a curt nod.

"Sheriff" he says.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I snap. I have no time for games. This man always has a motive and a plan, and I usually want nothing to do with either of them. After hearing of his breeding plot in the Fae realm a few hundred years ago, I deemed him a fierce but medieval leader that I never wanted to cross. I have seen fairy magic to terrible things, and I do not want my undead existence terminated by a Tinkerbell.

Niall uncrosses his legs and sits up to face me, tenting his fingertips together as his elbows come to rest on top of my desk.

"I've come to discuss my great granddaughter" he says. I notice his eyes have turned an icy blue, and that there is a small wind in the small room now. My mind is reeling.

 _Who have I slept with_ …. _Who did I take blood from_ …. _no one who was as tasty as a fairy, that's for damn sure. I would've remembered that!_ All of a sudden my mind hits a wall – _SOOKIE_. _I knew that girl was more than meets the eye, but this complicates my plan._ Instead of registering my shock, I simple cross my arms and cock an eyebrow.

"Should I know her?" I ask, my infamous smirk now firmly in place. He's going to have to work for this one if he's kept this secret hidden so long.

"I would hope so since you recently gave her your blood." He sneers. _Gotcha Fairy._ So he is talking about Sookie. Again I cock my eyebrow.

"I was unaware that any human in this realm had any relation to a highly respected supernatural such as yourself. Whatever do you wish to discuss?" I try not to lay on too much sarcasm to the thinly veiled insult. Niall seems unphased, but his eyes are still glowing, the breeze in my office is another sign that he is attempting to reel in his temper (unsuccessfully). I cannot push him too far before I become a victim of said Tinkerbell magic.

"You will watch yourself Norseman. Playing with the royal Brigant blood line is an act worthy of the true death, and I would find nothing but pleasure in being the one that grants it to you!" As he speaks, the breeze starts to get stronger, blowing the ancient fairy's hair behind him, as he rises and places his hands flat on my desk. He stares me dead in the eyes and continues.

"Sookie is not another conquest, and she is certainly not someone whom you should deem as below you. You will NOT trick my great granddaughter again, do you understand?!" As he finished, he is bellowing, and I am struggling not to stagger back at the great gust of wind that has taken over my office. I nod ever so slightly, and the room abruptly returns to normal, the papers that had started a small tornado all unceremoniously drop to the ground.

"Good. I will take that as your word Norseman. Even you undead know that is not something to be broken. Trick her again, and next time my warning will be fair more entertaining for me." Niall sneers, as he shows me a glimpse of his true fairy teeth. Pointed, rotting, sharp. Before I can respond to his threat, a sharp _pop_ signals his departure. I call to Pam through our bond and she enters, as I seat myself behind my desk.

"Master" she says as she saunters in, dressed in her typical Fangtasia attire of a red corset, fishnet stockings, and knee high leather black stilettos.

"You're looking very Pretty Woman tonight." I snark, nodding towards her boots.

"Julia's got nothing on me" she replies, snapping her fangs "why does it smell so _delicious_ in here? You didn't lay Stackhouse over that desk and bring me here to rub it in did you?"

"No" I respond. "We have a problem".

 _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

SPOV

I pulled into the Fangtasia parking lot at about 10PM. Early enough that there was a line, but not late enough it was a rush. Steeling my resolve, I collect my clutch, and make my way to the front of the line. Given that I have an appointment, I make the bold decision to bypass the line. Much to the dismay of those currently waiting. After a few comments as I walk by, I reach the front the see Pam in all her glory.

"Why Sookie, you are looking quite scrumptious this evening" she says through her fangs, giving me a very gracious once over. "Good enough to eat" she adds with a lick of her left fang.

"Pass" I sass back, "He in?" I ask. She simply nods and points over her shoulder inside.

"Can't miss him. The Viking on the throne" she drawls to me, leaning in as if it's a controversial whisper. She unsnaps the rope and allows my through. I pause in the small lobby after the front door and readjust my dress.

 _Let's hope this works._

EPOV

After discussing my meeting with Pam I go to enthrall the vermin. Another mundane night entertaining these blood bags. I had just kicked another fangbanger away from me, when I feel the small bond flutter. _She's here_. I close my eyes briefly and inhale. _She's close_. _Mmmmmmmm_. I reopen my eyes and instantly find her long blonde locks at the bar. She is at the back corner, directly opposite my position on stage, so I do not get a full glance at her until she has a drink in hand, and is walking towards me.

My fangs drop. _My my my. Vixen indeed._

Sookie has rebelled and worn the farthest thing from my request. White. Pure white, and a sexy pair of gold wedge heels. The dress is rouged and fits her form magnificently. The swell of her breasts, the curve of her hips. She's dangling bait in front of crocodiles. I hear other fangs start to snap down as she makes her way to the dias.

"Little one. I see you have not learned your lesson from the last time you came here." I growl at her, giving her a very thorough once over now that she is directly in front of me.

She puts a hand on her hip, looks me square in the eye and says "We need to talk. Office. Now". And with that she saunters off towards my office door. I blur there, and lean casually against my door as she finished the few steps towards me.

"We could do much better things than talk" I say, leaning down to put my face inches apart from hers. I take another inhale. She doesn't miss a beat before her eyes light with fire and she steps towards me.

"You're gonna tell me why you're trying to trick me" she sasses. I freeze. _Has this girl known of her heritage all along?_ She pokes a finger into my chest and continues "and you're gonna tell me what the hell is going on with Bill".

 _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

 _THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR REVIEWS!_

 **~ Lea**


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: Thanks again for all your support! Took me a while to figure out where I wanted this chapter to go, but I think I found a direction you'll like (I hope). Some lemons in this chapter! As some of you have noticed, I have taken Sookie in a much different direction and have empowered her with this experience. I know her plan seems sill in this chapter, but I promise it will be explained in the next one! I also know I forget about her Bill comment, but I promise that too will be explained._

 _PS I've tried to make all italics thoughts_

Enjoy!

Chapter 4

LAST TIME

 _"We could do much better things than talk" I say, leaning down to put my face inches apart from hers. I take another slow inhale._

 _"You're gonna tell me why you're trying to trick me" she sasses. I freeze. Has this girl known of her heritage all along? She pokes a finger into my chest and continues "and you're gonna tell me what the hell is going on with Bill"._

 _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

SPOV

I had made the bold declaration on a whim. I hadn't thought about Bill much since I rescinded his invitation. But laying in my lawn chair, after Bobby had dropped of the contract, I realized that tonight would be my first night out after dark. I entirely expected to be intercepted by Bill.

I wasn't.

After all the effort that vampire took to get his blood into me, it seems odd that he wouldn't want to be attached to my hip after another vampire has attempted to stake claim to me. It seems even **more** odd that in the few weeks following Dallas he has not made any kind of connection. Quite strange considering how he seemed to pop up at the oddest circumstances when we first met. The perfect circumstances in fact. Right when I needed saving. My first night out after dark, and not a peep? Odd… and if anyone knows about the reasoning it's the sneaky bastard in front of me. A little distraction of some curves, and hopefully he'll open up.

Okay, it's not a great plan. But when trying to coerce things out of Eric Northman, I had to go with what I knew. He likes sass in a pretty blonde bottle, and I've got lots of it.

As I mentioned Bill's name, Eric's face becomes cold stone, as if he is trying to compose himself. Without responding, he reaches behind him and opens his office door, swinging it open and urging me through with a swing of his hand.

I stomp into the centre of his small office, cross my arms and jut a hip out, severely tempted to start tapping my heel as he languidly glides into the room.

"I see we haven't lost our temper, have we Ms. Stackhouse?" Eric says with a slight chuckle, seeming to have recovered from his momentary pause. "I can't say this was the anger I was expecting".

"Oh?" I ask, quirking an eyebrow at him. "What were you expecting?" I can't help but ask.

"It is of no importance now. Please, take a seat, and enlighten me as to why you think I would want to trick you" he replies, as he walks over to his desk and sits down. He throws his legs up on top, he seems to be the perfect size for it so it was clearly custom-made for a certain Viking.

As he crosses his deliciously long legs, I find myself admiring the skin he has decided to show off tonight. The firm but slender muscles of his chest and biceps are perfectly outlined in the soft glow of his office lights. _WOAH. Side track._

Eric smirks at my pause, and I wonder if it isn't due to something blood related.

"The contract" I spit. "What's the trick? What's the catch? The fine print that has me sell my soul to you until my oh so coincidental death?"

Eric remains quiet for a long pause, steepling his long fingers in front of his face, as he slowly raises his gaze from his fingers, to my eyes.

"Ms. Stackhouse, why would I go through such lengths to get my blood into you, if all I wanted was to keep tabs on your untimely death? That seems quite contradictory. The contract was in the hopes of providing you with a more fulfilling source of employment, as I noticed you had not returned to the shifter's bar after our trip to Dallas. In regards to that" he reaches into his desk drawer and pulls out a letter with the Fangtasia letter head at the top right corner, and my information in the middle window. He flicks the letter so it rests on the edge of his desk, and I look at him curiously.

"And what is this?" I ask, taking my time to walk carefully over to the letter. Opening it slowly, to reveal a cheque for $50,000.

"Payment for your services in Dallas of course. As promised." Eric replies smoothly, again making direct eye contact with me. A part of me wants to balk at this blatant demonstration of power. This is WAY too much money. Then my mind flashed through all of the extra curriculars that happened during that time in Dallas. Almost raped. Cheated on. Tricked to drink his blood.

 _Hell. I'm entitled to some stress pay, and damages caused to my person._ So I stash the cheque in my clutch as I maintain Eric's gaze, and give him a thin lipped nod. I then close the distance between me and the front of his desk, setting my clutch down, and laying my palms flat on the large spanned surface.

As I lean towards his relaxed form, I whisper harshly "Tell. Me. The. Catch."

After another lengthy pause Eric shocks me by uncrossing his legs, and dropping his hands to the arm rest of his winged back chair. He breaks our eye contact, gazes blankly at the wall to his left and sighs. He pauses for another moment, and then I DO begin tapping my heel, hoping he'll spit it out already.

"Blood" he says. My gaze narrows.

"What about it?" I demand.

"The catch of the contract is you are required to provide me with a thimble of your blood once every month" Eric admits, meeting my gaze once again.

 _I KNEW IT._ There was too much legal mumbo jumbo about "the employee will provide" that there wouldn't be something I'd have to give him outside of my telepathy. Instead of reacting in pure outrage, I take a small step back, and plop into one of the chairs across from Eric. I collect my clutch, and drop my gaze to my lap. I sit in silence for a moment as I attempt to work through my feelings and find there is one question I have.

"Why" I whisper, slowly looking up again to see Eric watching me intently. He quirks an eyebrow. Clearly he was expecting a stompin', yellin' southerner to reply to that omission.

EPOV

I am unsure if laying all my cards on the table is the best move at this point, but I am currently at a loss for alternatives. When I admitted to Sookie that there was a clause in the contract that demanded a thimble of her blood once a month, I would have put good money on her losing her ever loving mind about it, telling me where to put it, and leaving. But here is this composed, breathtaking beauty, sitting lady like in the sexiest white dress I've ever seen, demanding to know why I would want such a thing.

My instinct is to lie. As always. _How can I manipulate this my way? She knows nothing about the effects of blood, or the tie it has to ownership and possession in our world (as I demonstrated in Dallas). I could very easily work this to my favour._ However, I find myself reminiscing on the unexpected visitor I had mere hours before this vixen, and find that I want to appease Niall (even if begrudgingly).

I tap into the small amount of my blood in her system, before I respond. Still nothing.

After my pause has stretched long enough, I shrug and say "Protection".

 _There. Simple._

Meeting her eyes, I see that's not enough for her, so I continue.

"It became quite clear to me that Bill is not adequately providing for you in many regards. Protection in general, is one of the biggest concerns. Your gift is an incredible asset, and I believe you are a great deal smarter than many have given you credit for. It seems many have underestimated you, myself included, and I would like to rectify that by adding you to my arsenal of employees."

Sookie continues to stare at me, and makes no move to respond. We sit there in silence and I eventually slip into downtime. Finally, she stands again slowly. She takes another lengthy pause before she starts to move, speaking along with her slow, deliberate steps.

"You will rewrite the contract" she says, walking around my desk to stand directly in front of me. I raise my eyebrows, and swivel my chair so that I am directly facing her.

"You will write it so that I understand it. No tricks, and you will outline exactly the terms that you wish to request of me in order to consult as a telepathic employee" she continues, and I find myself nodding, my eyes now roaming up and down her body. _That dress is gloriously tight around her breasts._ "I will consider them, and give you a response in no less than 2 business days" she concludes.

 _My, my, this was not the evening I was expecting, but it seems it may be working in my favour._

SPOV

I notice Eric has begun nodding, and his eyes have started roaming the curves my dress so wonderfully accentuates. I take another small step towards him, so that I am standing between his long legs, forcing his eyes to snap up to the silver tipped chopstick I now hold between my thumb and pointer finger directly in front of his face. As I had approached him I had held it discretely with my thumb, effectively tucking the length against the inside of my pinky finger, hidden by the length of my wrist. Then I slowly let it drop to grasp it with my thumb and pointer in front of his, now very angry, face.

I level him with a gaze that is pure bitch and dominance, and I feel this spark inside me flare to life.

"If you EVER try to trick me again, I will make sure it is an extremely UNpleasurable experience for you" I say as I wave the small weapon in front of him "do you understand?"

Hi fangs have clicked down and he glares at me.

"Threatening a vampire is a very dangerous choice Ms. Stackhouse" he growls, "even for one as bold as you."

"I'm aware." I reply, and drop the chopstick with a flourish as it drops to the floor with an audible _ting_.

"However, this threat does come with a compromise" I say, dropping my voice to a more sultry tone. I then drop my line of sight to his lips and close the distance between us. Taking in the scent of his clean aftershave, I lay my hands on his armrests and dip my head towards his lips. He remains still, and stares at me as I slowly grasp his lips with mine. After a moment of his shock, his left hand quickly comes to tangle in my hair, and he responds with a sudden urgency. His tongue darts out to lick my sealed lips and I open for him without pause.

 _Just as I expected_ …. _Good boy_.

I battle my tongue with his for a few moments, savoring in his animalistic dominance.

 _Man, this Viking can kiss._

As our tongues continue to slide intimately against each other, I purposely glide mine against the inside of his left fang, slicing it ever so slightly. He groans deeply, the sound rumbling in his chest. Then, just as quickly as I engaged, and just as his second hand is about to reach for my waist, I pull back.

A drop of my blood spills into his now gaping mouth before I detangle from his grasp completely. I turn on my heel, grab my clutch, and make my way quickly and confidently around his desk.

"I look forward to hearing from you Mr. Northman" I toss over my shoulder, before I walk out his office completely.

 _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

 **Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

LAST TIME

 _A drop of my blood spills into his now gaping mouth before I detangle from his grasp completely. I turn on my heel, grab my clutch, and make my way quickly and confidently around his desk._

 _"I look forward to hearing from your Mr. Northman" I toss over my shoulder, before I walk out of his office completely._

 _. . . . . . . . . . . . ._

SPOV

I couldn't help but smirk all the way home. The look of the Sheriff Viking literally gaping after me as I left his office had me riding a proverbial high all the way back to Bon Temps.

I realized I didn't ask him about Bill. It hit me that, that in itself should speak volumes concerning my feelings towards him. I didn't feel guilty about willingly giving my blood to another vampire. That should also be another sign for me.

I realized that after squawking about blood ties, and being manipulated into them, I went and added another. But I didn't care. Eric made a valid point in regards to my protection. I knew that now a certain number of vampires knew of my existence, it would only get worse. Gran had thought once or twice when I was young about some government MIB-like characters coming to steal me away, and with vampires out of the coffin, I can't say that fear is all that farfetched nowadays.

So my plan was to put myself in power. What I hadn't planned for was Eric's cooperation. He spilled his trick pretty easily to me, and I was curious as to why. That was also a reason I had rewarded his honesty with a drop of my blood. He admitted he wanted me alive for a reason, and the miniscule amount of his blood I inadvertently ingested in Dallas wouldn't help those efforts much … unless I met him half way. But giving him blood once a month? That sounds like the agreement I had with Bill. _Yuck_.

But I knew that working for him was a smart step for me. I hadn't talked to Sam in weeks, and I think we had come to an understanding that I wouldn't be returning (even though I never really gave him notice). I had enjoyed my time at Merlotte's but I had started veering away from my friends, as they seemed to be unsupportive of my role in the supernatural community. At this point in my life I was starting to see that I was in that community whether I wanted to be or not, and I could either squawk and run, or pull up my panties, hold my head high, and start learning about how to be there.

I made it home, parked my crappy (but deeply loved) yellow beetle, and made my way to the back door.

"Hello sweetheart"

I looked up from my clutch to see Bill leaning against the back column of my porch.

 _Shit._

I felt fear hit like ice in my veins as I realized my outfit, and the angry looking vampire in front of me.

"H-H-Hello Bill." I managed to squeak out.

 _Shit shit shit shit fuckity FUCK! What do I do…._

My mind started racing as I tried to think of a game plan. Running wasn't an option. Screaming would do nothing. He looked angry and hungry, and I haven't seen him in two weeks.

 _I can't imagine this confrontation will go well, but maybe I can sway him with pleasantries like nothing is wrong again._

"What brings you here so late Bill?" I asked, plastering a small and hopefully polite smile on my face. Not Crazy Sookie smile, but close. I could feel my palms start to sweat as my one hand was still in my purse and the other grasping the outside of my clutch tightly.

"Sookeh" he admonished, dipping his chin to look further down at me (literally and metaphorically) "I haven't seen you in over two weeks. Didn't you wonder where I was?" he asked as his fangs peeked out from under his lips.

"My apologies, were you travelling for business?" I went for pleasant, because in my eyes we had broken up those some weeks ago when he cheated on me (he apparently just hadn't put that together).

Bill flashed in front of me quicker that I could register, and I quickly realized that mistake. "No" he growled. "I was being punished because of _you"_ he sneered. I met his gaze unwavering, even though his breathe was utterly horrific.

"M-M-M-Me? But why would-….Who was punishing you?" I tried to register all he was telling me. No wonder he looked so terrible. He must be suffering from blood loss and who knows what else if he had been punished for that long.

Bill apparently was done talking though, because in the next second his hand was around my throat, and my feet were dangling off the ground. My one hand dropped my clutch to hold onto his hand, hoping that I could allow some air to my lungs.

"That is none of your concern _darling_. My patience have worn thin of your games and we will be leaving this evening for you to experience punishments of your own". As he spoke Bill strengthened his grip on my throat, and my vision started to go black.

 _No no no no no. I haven't gone through all this shit just to be strangled by my disgusting ex!_

Bill brought my face inches apart from his, as he continued to slowly squeeze my throat. I felt the small muscles tensing, I coughed and sputters, and kicked my legs with no avail. My time was running out, I could feel my heartrate starting to slow and my muscles were losing their tension and starting to go slack. It was then I remembered what was in my other hand. _YES_.

With a last ditch effort I brought my other hand up and using the last bit of energy, swung it down towards Bill's chest. As I was unceremoniously dropped to the ground, I realized that the small chopstick I had pulled from my clutch had at least made some kind of connection. He wasn't goo so it must have just missed his heart, but Bill dropped to the ground with me anyways.

My head smacked against the dusty ground, and I rolled to my side in the hopes of trying to pull myself towards the porch steps. Bill was screaming in agony, as the silver tip of the chopstick was deep within his chest. I was thankful that one was dipped on both sides with silver, and he was struggling to pull it out of himself without burning.

I had pulled myself a few spaces away from Bill when he grabbed my ankle, pulled me towards him and sunk his fangs deep into my neck. The force of his bite left a gaping wound as I felt the skin tear, and I screamed bloody murder. Bill straddled me, securing my flailing arms with one hand over my head as he began taking big swallows of my blood. I continue screaming, and thrashing my legs, panicking for all that I was worth. Bill had just taken another big mouthful, and bit again further up my neck towards my ear, tearing another gaping hole in my flesh when all of a sudden he was whipped off of me and I heard a loud battle roar.

I brought my hand over my neck, feeling the blood still spewing out of my jugular, when a pair of cold hands joined mine. I looked up but the face was fuzzy. My world started spinning as my head was ripping open with pain, and then everything went black.

 _. . . . . . . . . . . . ._

EPOV

I sat at my desk with a raging hard on as I watch Sookie Stackhouse saunter out of my office.

 _That little minx_. Here I was thinking she was all southern hospitality and manners, when she clearly has another side to her. _Definitely the fair side of her_ I thought. I took a moment to contemplate just exactly what that power move would do for my relationship with the telepath.

I had been truthful with her in regards to the clause I had included in the contract. It was in the hopes of showing her my honesty that she would be more lenient towards the idea of working for me. Having her in the club, feeding me blood once a month, I knew it was only a matter of time before we were fucking.

 _She can't resist the urges forever._ Especially with a kiss like THAT. I licked my lips, savoring the last flavours of her delicious blood and saliva that still lingered there. She was truly ambrosia. But I couldn't help the small sense of worry I had about my underestimating her. She had given my her blood willingly, and after her outrage at my manipulation in Dallas, that didn't make sense to me. How did that benefit her? Did she think I would be her vampire bodyguard now that I had mentioned protection?

 _Shit. I may have just contracted myself out in the hopes of a good fuck._ My eyes widened. Well, in terms of mistakes, I had made worse. It could turn out to be quite a worthwhile relationship if she truly was considering other work than the shifter's bar. Still, I picked up the phone and dialed my favourite number with vampire speed.

The melodic voice picked up on the second ring and I smiled to myself.

"Min son, it has been too long" he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice and the happiness in our bond.

"Broder, it has." I let my happiness flood our bond, and then my hint of worry and anxiety. He quickly asks what is troubling me.

"I fear I may require your assistance"

 _. . . . . . . . . . . . ._

 _dum dum duuuuuuum. Whatcha think? Like it?_

 _Sorry this one was tad shorter, but I promise to update if you send me some reviews. They are my life source :)_


	6. Chapter 6

AN: This one goes out to RandiS, cause I like the way you think ;)

Thanks SO much for your reviews! I can't tell you how nice it feels to know that the silly ideas I've been sputtering out are interesting to ya!

 _LAST TIME_

" _Min son, it has been too long" he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice and feel the lighthearted happiness in our bond._

" _Broder, it has." I let me happiness flood our bond in return, and then followed it with hints of my worry and anxiety. He quickly asks what is troubling me._

" _I fear I may require your assistance"._

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

EPOV

After hanging up with my Maker, my worry had eased somewhat but not completely. I send a soft call to Pam and she zipped into my office quickly.

"What's got your knickers in a knot?" she sasses, as she stands with a hand on her hip in front of my desk. " _Please_ tell me it's not the telepath. I'm already exasperated with her and you haven't even fucked her yet".

I resist the urge to roll my eyes, and reply with a short, curt "no". It was only then that she stand straight, and drops her nonchalance.

"Eric" she whispers, letting the soft question linger in her tone "what is it?"

I finally meet her gaze and reply "I have that feeling you named….a gut feeling….Something is wrong. I am missing something and I do not like it. I feel I am playing chess and only able to see half of my opponents".

I pause, and Pam walks slowly to one of the chairs and sits. I pause a moment longer before I decide a plan.

"I want you to dig into every miniscule detail of that fucker Compton's life. What do we know of him currently?"

Pam doesn't hesitate and immediately responds with a summary, she really is the vault.

"William Compton. Created by one Lorena Krasiki, roughly 179 years of age. Last known rank was a consultant for Her Royal Majesty Sophie-Ann, working on a specific computer program on which no details have been released. Recently relocated to his ancestral home in Bon Temps where he began a relationship with a human as he mainstreams. Last seen 15 days ago."

I begin to nod as she finishes "I want more. His relocating seems odd. Willy boy wouldn't leave the priss of New Orleans unless he had real motive. What of Lorena?"

"Last seen 15 days ago in Dallas, after an altercation with one Sookie Stackhouse in Godric's nest. She has not been heard from since, as it seems her and Willy boy had a bit of a falling out after her treatment of his _pet_." Pam replies easily.

I nod again and inform her of my plan "I have called Godric, he shall be here before sunrise". She raises an eyebrow at me in silent question. "I do not like Niall's involvement in this. On top of Bill's recent appearance it all seems too coincidental. There is a plan in the works and I do not wish to become a victim of it." I reply and it is Pam's turn to nod silently. "Keep the bar open until he gets here." With that I wave my hand, and she returns to the bar.

 _What have you gotten yourself into this time Stackhouse?_

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

GPOV

I was surprised to receive a call from my child. We maintain a healthy amount of contact, but had not spoken in some months. Since the bombing at my nest I was in a mountain of paperwork trying to explain my capture at the Fellowship of the Sun. I told some strong white lies about gathering intelligence on the church cult, under the guise of a vampire who wanted to meet the sun. If only that were not as true as it felt.

For some time I had been contemplating the reason of my existence. After two thousand years on this Earth, I was tired. I had been starting to slowly dull the bond between my child and I, but found that the recent use of it tonight rekindled something in my cold heart. I missed him. At the sound of his troubling tone, I knew that he was analyzing a complex situation that he could greatly use my assistance with, though he did not provide many details. I had passed on my post as Sheriff to my second, Isabel, almost immediately after the Dallas fiasco, and had been enjoying a bit of a vacation. It was time my child and I reunited.

After hanging up the phone, I looked around my business suite in Dallas, which I had rented for my Sheriff duties. I found myself bored. I found myself wanting … something. A change would be good. I made a few more calls and emails and quickly set a plan into motion for me to relocate to Shreveport.

Indefinitely.

I took to the air minutes later, and opened my bond with my Child.

 _Estou benvida meu fillo (I am coming, my son)_ I sent to him in my ancient Gaul language, and I felt his delight in response.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SPOV

I woke up with a splitting headache. As I came to consciousness I immediately opened my eyes, not remembering what happened after Bill tried to rip my throat out (AGAIN). _Psychotic ex of the year goes to…_ before I finish that thought, instant panic begins to set in. I realize that the gaping wound on my neck has been covered, but not healed, and has a half-assed bandage on it. My head is still woozy, and my throat is on fire, so I know I haven't been fed any blood. _Thank the Lord_. However, this is doing nothing for my levels of pain. I start to assess my current situation.

I have been tied to a small plastic folding chair. My arms are held together by a zip tie behind my back, palms facing each other. My legs have been tied with what looks almost like fishing wire, and I can see it digging into my skin painfully. My once beautiful white dress is covered in dirt and blood, and ripped scantily up my leg almost to my hip. How my breasts managed to stay in the strapless top during the struggle I'll never know, but send another silent prayer in thanks. I then look at my surroundings.

I am in the back of a wine cellar. There are barrels on either side of me, and I am in the middle of the small walkway. There is a ball gag in my mouth and I fight not to think of where it came from, or if it's been used before. It smells damp and dusty. I slowly drop my shields in the hopes of gaining more information, and close my eyes again. I scan the level I am on first, slowly opening my shields wider and wider, not wanting to open the floodgate and initiate a migraine on top of my blood loss. It seems that the cellar was dug out underneath a castle of sorts. The rooms above me seem vast, with high ceilings, and large spaces. _Well Todo, we're not in Kansas anymore_. As I continue scanning, I categorize that I am indeed in a castle, or palace, and I am in the east wing of the estate. There are donors in the room immediately above me which seems to be a staff kitchen of sorts, and there are were body guards stations all around the outdoors. I count 30 total. _So it's definitely day time_. I feel my panic increase, and my palms start to sweat.

 _What's the last thing I remember…. Bill attacking me in my backyard…I thought I was going to die and then all of a sudden Bill was thrown off of me. Cold hands were holding onto my wound trying to stop me from bleeding out….Now I'm tied and held captive? Why wouldn't they let me die there instead of half-assing first aid, and locking me in the basement._

All of a sudden I come across a brain pattern I recognize and my fear spikes. _No. It couldn't be._ My mind starts racing with an overload of childhood memories and I can feel my eyes start to well with tears behind my closed eyes. _Hadley._ I continue scanning and digging through her mind to find that she didn't die of an overdose ten years ago, as Gran and I had thought. She fell in love. With some vampire named Sophie-Ann…. All of a sudden the large barn door to the cellar swings open, and my fear reaches an all time high.

"Oh good, you're awake." Steve Newlin stalks in, carrying a pair of pliers in one hand, and a sharp steak knife in the other. _What the flying fuck?!_

"I just bet your simple southern mind is reeling right now isn't honey?" Steve continues in his tacky southern drawl, as he sets the pliers down on the three steps by the door, and starts walking towards me.

"Well, I've always been a fan of telling stories, so why don't I enlighten you. After my upset show in Dallas, I couldn't very well let your skanky ass get away with trompin' all over Louisiana spewing how we should 'love all vampers' now could I? There's a lot of profit to be made in hate ya know? And it seems these vampers enjoyed the media debate we've had going, cause it helps 'em plead their case or somethin'… Anyways. I made a deal with the nicest southern gentleman. HE said that if I could get this blonde trashy telepath in my grasp, I could do whatever I wanted with her." As Steve started his monologue, he had stalked to my chair and circled me, dragging the steak knife on different parts of my exposed skin. I began to shiver, knowing that what was in store for me was not going to be pleasant, as Steve continued.

"And let me tell you, after being made a FOOL in front of my entire church following, I mean to make you feel quite terrible." He laughs bitterly, as he drags the tip of the knife from the top of my shoulder to my elbow, leaving a small cut through the muscle. I suck in a small breath.

"Then once I'm done with my bought of Christian justice, I get to pass you on over to the vampers themselves. Instead of dying in peace, and getting the true blessing of meeting our Lord, you'll be turned into a vamper against your will. What's a cherry on that sundae, is that your Maker will be that sadistic bitch you met last week. I do believe your vamper lover cheated on you with her too." Steve sneers to me.

 _Lorena?! OH HELL NO_. Steve must have seen my recognition, because he began cackling as he started to drag the knife from my other shoulder down to my elbow, this time making a much deeper cut. He then leaned down to my face and asked "Are you ready to repent for your sins Ms. Stackhouse?" it was then that I noticed his eyes had taken on a more animalistic shape. Steve Newlin was definitely not human.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

EPOV

3:34PM

I sat upright in my day chamber as white searing pain ripped through my left arm. I checked the clock, and then glanced at my arm to find it unharmed. This is the earliest I have ever risen in my existence, and I immediately tapped by bond with Pam to ensure her safety. I found the bond dormant, still in her day rest some kilometers away at her own safe house. I glance at my arm again, as the pain has faded just as quickly as it came. _Strange_. I glance over at my maker, who is naked in bed next to me. I remain in a seated position, and start to rack my brain when two things happen. First a searing pain drags across the top of my chest, and I realize that the only other blood tie this could be.

 _Sookie_. My maker feels my pain this time, and sits up immediately.

"Eric, what is wrong?" he asks, seeing me clutching my chest and completely baffled by what I am experiencing. When she had, had my blood in Dallas I could not feel anything from her. Even after the drop of blood she had provided last night, I did not feel any change in the bond. But now I was feeling every emotion of hers. Fear. Confusion ...and now most strongly: Pain.

"It is Sookie" I manage, as I feel whatever torture device that is being used move to her fingers. I watch as my pointer finger on my left hand is pulled out of the joint and I growl.

"What can we do?" I ask Godric, he has used vampire speed to get dressed, and is now kneeling in front of me beside the bed. "She is being tortured. She is a far away….not Bon Temps…Mississippi."

Godric immediately stands. "Russel Edgington" he murmurs.

"What?" I ask

"Russel Edgington. The vampire who has been crazed with power for some thousand centuries. I last saw him two months ago in Dallas. He had bene in Dallas at a supernatural conference. There was a half-human presenting on the idea of mixing breeds. Weres passing on the genetics to humans and such. The half-human was a descendent of a nymph which has not been heard of for many years. Russel is one of the few who knew of nymphs back in the old times, before the war. Nymphs and fairies are allies, and together, sealed themselves from the human world, as you know. After this speech, Russel became enamored with the idea of bringing them back to the human world. He wanted to bring their blood to production, he had heard that the properties in the nymph and fairy blood would allow vampires stronger gifts."

I clutched my hand, as my left middle finger was dislocated and asked with a growl "What kind of gifts".

Godric meets my eyes with a very solemn look and replies

"It is rumored that a fairy's blood could allow a vampire to day walk"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I've got another short chapter that I'm gonna post right NOW!

Hope you like. Please review :)


	7. Chapter 7

_LAST TIME_

 _I clutched my hand, as my left middle finger was dislocated and asked with a growl "What kind of gifts"._

 _Godric meets my eyes with a very solemn look and replies_

" _It is rumored that a fairy's blood could allow a vampire to day walk"_

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SPOV

After hours of torture, Steve finally left. Every finger on my left hand had been pulled from the joint with those dreaded pliers, and he had cut me more times than I could remember. My blood was dripping from the multiple wounds all over my body, and I was quickly losing hope. I had turned my brain off some time ago, when Steve had removed the gag in the hopes of hearing my screams. I wouldn't give him that sadistic pleasure. I gritted my teeth and screamed to every kind of God in my head, but I did not give him the satisfaction of hearing me beg and scream.

I lay limp, still tied to the chair, my head hanging down, with blood dripping from my chapped and bleeding lips. Steve had gotten bored with his props and had fed me a few slaps and punches for the thrill. _Some Christian_. I had picked from his thoughts that he saw this as justice, a one for one. He made a deal with some southern vampire, who I pulled from his thoughts but had never seen, that he could torture and break me, but they got to turn me. The plan was to collect my blood for as long as possible to use it for some kind of concoction, and then turn me against my will so that I had to suffer eternity as Lorena's slave. I couldn't bear that. I would try to meet the sun if that happened. _I could finally be with Gran again._ My heart sang at that thought. I was so tired. SO tired of being used, tired of being told I was crazy, and tired of fighting. I began thinking about Gran, and her warm hugs, and sunk into my mental thoughts.

I found myself in a meadow, with long beautiful daisies. I was in a long flowy white gown, and my hair was curled and cascading down my back, almost reaching past my hips. I felt so light. So free. No pain could reach me here, I must have sunken into my subconscious space in a corner of my mind, and I was glad I found it now of all times. I walked slowly through the meadow, which seemed to stretch in every direction as far as I could see. There were no trees, just endless long stemmed daisies. I giggled. It was gorgeous. I took a strong inhale of the fresh sent and continued to walk slowly.

 _Sookie_

I turn, to find Eric is behind me. He is shirtless, in a pair of loose black pants, with his palms up and his arms outstretched towards me.

 _Where are you Sookie?_ Eric asks, as I take a step towards him.

 _I'm right here you goof_ I reply, taking another step towards his hands

 _I can't find you lover. Let me help you. Let me in._ Eric whispers, and I realize this may be his human self trying to communicate with my through the bond. My heart breaks. He wants to find me. I rack my brain trying to think of something to give him and come up with the only thing that I think may help him.

 _Steve Newlin._ I was just about to reach his arms, and was humming with the thought of his embrace, when he disappears in a whisp of smoke. I fall to my knees in the field.

 _He has to find me. I can't take more torture. I don't want to be a vampire._ My thoughts start spiralling, as I put my head in my hands and try to center myself as I sit in between the daisies.

 _Sookie_. A melodic voice whispers to me. I look around, but see no one.

 _Sookie._ I stand, and start stretching my vision to see if I can see who is calling my name.

 _Use your mind Sookie_ the angel says. So I begin thinking into my self conscious, realizing that my words echo around the meadow as if it were an enclosed globe.

 _Who are you?_ I ask

 _Family_. They whisper, and the meadow starts to blow with a soft breeze. _You must use your gift Sookie, use your powers._

My eyebrows scrunch together, as I ask, _What powers? My telepathy can't help me escape._

 _Use your spark. Center yourself and think of the space you are most home. Where you feel most safe. Center yourself, and imagine yourself there. We will help you. Go. Go now._

I open my eyes to the cellar. _My spark_? Not knowing who this strange voice is, or what they're talking about, I find I have nothing to lose. I look around and open my shields, still picking up subtle brain patterns from the humans and weres around the palace. I try to center myself and think of the place I feel most safe. _Home. Bon temps. Gran._ I picture the farm house, and my bedroom, the beautiful porch looking over the yard. All of a sudden the cellar door opens and Steve walks in again, this time with what looks like a medical kit. The bastard starts humming as he jabs a needle into my vein, and attaches it to a tube, which he then attaches to a large blood donor bag.

"You're gonna be the newest flavour or True Blood. They should call it _skank_ " Steve chuckles, sticking another IV in my other arm to start the same process. I realize that he is planning to drain my blood as much as possible for the concoction he was thinking about earlier. I can't believe there's much blood left in my system at this point. At the thought of the blood being syphoned from my body to donor bags against my will, I close my eyes and make one last prayer to the mystery source from my mind.

 _Please help me. They're going to drain my blood and sell it to vampires, and turn me against my will. Please. Save me. HELP me._ I beg, I scrunch my eyes closed and wish with every fibre of my being that someone, something, anything, will stop this madness.

My eyes open with the sharp sound of a _pop_. There seems to be a large gust of wind as a large man with pointy ears, and long silver hair grabs Steve by the throat and lifts him into the air.

"You have committed a blood offense against my kin! I will take your life as penitence!" He roars, and I watch with mortification as he squeezes Steve's neck tighter and tighter, until his neck seems to crumble in his hands. His head becomes separate from his body, and the stranger throws it against the wall, where it splatters. Steve's lifeless body drops to the floor, and I let out a sharp piercing shriek.

The man then pulls the IVs out of my arms, and grabs the tubes and the blood. He kneels down in front of me, and cuts the fishing wire on my legs with one sharp fingernail. He then looks me in the eyes and says:  
"Do not be frightened Little One. I am here to help you. I am the relative from your mind" He whispers, and gives me a small smile. I let out the breath I was holding and lean my forehead against his, instantly trusting him for some reason. He feels safe, and his close proximity makes me feel warm inside. I find myself nodding.

"I'm going to take you somewhere safe" he says, as his sharp fingernail snaps the zip tie behind my back. My arms release and I feel my tired body sag forward. The stranger comes around quickly, and scoops my into his arms, securing one arm under my legs and one around my back. I close my eyes and embrace this warm, safe feeling. _Steve is gone, and he's going to take me somewhere safe_. I close my eyes as I hear another sharp _pop_ just as I drift off into sleep.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

EPOV

6:30 PM

The sun has finally set below the horizon, and my maker and I have taken to the sky. I am honing in on the small blood tie I have with Sookie and monitoring her pain level. She seems to have drifted off into some kind of sleep.

 _Sookie_ I call to her _Sookie, where are you?_ I try to prod our week connection, stroking it in my mind. _I can't find you lover. Let me help you. Let me in._ I push all my worry and affection towards our connection and hope with everything I have that she responds somehow. I feel confusion and humor return and send a small thanks to Odin that it at least it is not pain, and I have felt some kind of response. All of a sudden I hear her voice whisper in my head _Steve Newlin_. I immediately tell my maker, speaking in Gaul.

"Steve Newlin disappeared after the Dallas events. He has not been heard from since". I push forward and fly faster to where Sookie's weak blood tie is beckoning me. We have just crossed the border into Mississippi and I veer towards Jackson. I close my eyes and center myself to the tie. She's in a basement of some kind. I slow down as we get closer, and I see a large compound come into view. It looks like a large southern estate, complete with pillars in the front entrance and lavish landscaping. I hear Godric hiss beside me.

"That is Edgington's palace" he says.

"What does that have to do with Newlin?" I can't help but ask. We both stay back from the compound, way above the clouds, as we can see that there is a number of hired two-natured help around the property line. We speak quickly in Gaul trying to plan an attack and escape, Godric believing it is best to wait and come back later with more enforcements. I can feel the despair and tiredness in Sookie's blood and I refuse to leave.

"Godric she is dying. Her heartbeat is slowing" as Godric tells me I should at least call Pam, all of a sudden my tie to Sookie explodes. I bite my lip to cover the roar that threatens to escape me, and feel a thick stream of blood poor down my lip.

"She's gone" I whisper. Godric's eyes show shock and sorrow before he asks "dead?" I shake my head subtly.

"She is so far it feels like another plane" My mind starts searching through possibilities and Godric and I both come to the same conclusion.

"Niall"

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	8. Chapter 8

AN: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEWS. They **literally** make my day. Here's a treat before the Easter weekend, hope y'all enjoy! There is some context heavy stuff in this one, and some mention of torture (nothing too graphic). All of this is purely from my own head so no fact-checks were done. I'm winging it here, so all mistakes are my own!

 _LAST TIME_

 _"She's gone" I whisper. Godric's eyes show shock and sorrow before he asks "dead?" I shake my head subtly._

 _"She is so far it feels like another plane" My mind starts searching through possibilities and Godric and I both come to the same conclusion._

 _"Niall"_

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

EPOV

I did not know I could experience this kind of pain. I have been tortured, I have refused the pull of the sun, I have been to _war_ \- and none of it compares to this. It's like someone has taken by body and tried to stretch it past its means. _I should not feel this way when we have not even had a mutual exchange_. My maker has stayed close by since we returned from Jackson. I have taken to my office most nights, and not left its confines.

Godric is worried.

Pam is worried. And pissed. But that's Pam.

She's more worried about the "distraction of the telepath" and how my mood swings are effecting Fangtasia's turn out. The last time I attended I almost killed three fangbangers. _Not my best night_.

It has been three hundred and seventy five days since Sookie disappeared. I feel I am bordering madness. Godric has mentioned summoning witches to break the bond, but I cannot bring myself to do it. I do not trust witches for one. Secondly, I find this unease at the thought of losing my only connection to Sookie. It tells me she is alive.

Bill reported to Fangtasia a few days after Sookie disappeared. I had some fun torturing for him for information before finally releasing him. I was within my rights, the little weasel. He was hiding something and he took his time to spill it. I returned him to his pitiful excuse of a Maker two weeks later.

I researched every known fact about Reverend Steve Newlin. He has disappeared off the face of the earth. However, as Willy Boy finally disclosed, he had made a deal with Russel. Of course a poor excuse of a vampire like Bill Compton wouldn't know exactly what that deal was, but it was a start.

Russel and I have crossed paths at a few small functions. We have spoken pleasantries, played nice. I don't buy it thought. He's waiting on something.

I **will** find out, even if it takes me the rest of my existence.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SPOV

I woke up in the most beautiful room I had ever seen. Soft silk sheets surrounded me as I lay in a large king size bed. The sunshine was streaming on my face through a sunroof, and there was a soft breeze coming in from the nearby window. I took a heavy inhale and stretched my limbs. _Wait_.

The recent events seem to click back in my mind, and I sat up slowly, looking around the room I am in. I am on a four poster bed, with more beautiful white silk hung around the outsides. All of the furniture is made of a cherry wood, and looks to be hand carved. There are three large windows to my right that reach from ceiling to floor. The ceilings of the room are high and vaulted, and I can see a large expanse of grassy hills outside. To my left is a large wardrobe, a small chest at the foot of the bed, and a heavy door against the back wall.

I then start to assess my body. My last recollection I was in scrapes of the beautiful white rouged dress I had tried to tempt Eric with, covered in my own blood. I now was dressed in a long flowy white silk nightgown that reached my ankles. There was intricate lace along the thick straps, across the bodice, and along the hem. It was gorgeous. All of my wounds were gone. Not a scratch left on my skin, and I seemed to have a perfect tan like I had been on holiday the past few days. _What on Earth is going on?_

I slowly pull back the lavish sheets and swing my legs over the side of the bed. I still feel a bit sluggish, but outwardly by body seems to be completely healed. I pause for a moment, before transferring my weight onto my feet and pushing myself out of bed. I sway for a second before I am able to take a step towards the large open window and the soft morning sunshine.

"Good morning princess" The large door opens to my left, and a beautiful teenager with a short black pixie cut, and piercing green eyes, enters with a tray of food. She sets it on the chest at the base of the bed, and slowly walks over to me.

"My name is Aria and I am your handmaiden" she says as she gives me a curt bow. I feel my eyebrows scrunch together in confusion. "I know you must have many questions, so I shall take you to your great-grandfather once you have eaten and dressed".

 _My what now?_ I just nod my head and proceed to sit on the plush bed and cross my legs Indian style, before digging into the wonderful eggs and bacon dish she has brought me. I take the first bite and my eyes close, _delicious_ , and the coffee is even better! It's like it is all melting in my mouth. I've always been a breakfast food fan, and was never one to shy away from pancakes for dinner, but this was a new level. I quickly finished my meal and thanked Aria when she quickly grabbed the now empty tray and scurried out the door. She said she would leave me to dress and return in a few minutes. I didn't get a chance to ask her what exactly I was supposed to dress in.

I made my way over to the large wardrobe and picked one of the many gowns that were hung there. They seems slightly medieval, all long and flowy and floor length. I grabbed a bright yellow with white lace details and was surprised it fit me perfectly. Aria returned a few minutes later, and escorted me out of the chamber.

We took a steep staircase down and reached a long hallway. It seemed this place was something out of a fairy-tale, and I was indeed in a castle. The hallway was actually a large bridge, with open windows on either side showing a steep drop to canyons below. The bridge crossed from the tower where my chamber was, to the larger portion of the castle. We entered through two large doors at the end which brought us to what looked like a large lobby reception. It reminded me of the grand room in the movie Casper. Large dancefloor, and two staircases on either side leading to another set of double doors. Aria explained that this was the main area of the castle, where all the meeting and conference rooms were as well as the dining hall, and of course, "the Prince's office". That set my gears turning.

She led me to the office, knocked once, and quickly scurried away. I heard a booming voice call "enter" and I hesitantly pushed the door open. The doors opened to a large room, full of more wooden furniture including a large desk where my rescuer was seated. He was in a winged back leather chair, with two smaller versions in front of him. The left side of the room was completely open, and lead to a large open patio that had stairs cascading down to soft grass and a large fountain. The right side of the room was full of endless shelves of books from ceiling to floor. I took a hesitant step forward, as the man looked up to meet my eyes. His piercing blue eyes quickly lit with happiness, and a smile broke out on his handsome face.

"Granddaughter" he said, standing from his seat and coming around his desk to grasp my hands in his own. "I am so glad to see you have recovered. How are you feeling?" he led me to one of the chairs in front of his desk, and pulled it out for me as I sat.

"Confused. Where am I?" I ask, as he proceeds to circle his desk and sit back in his large chair.

"You are in the fae realm Little One" he says with a gesture to the large area outside. Seeing my brows scrunch in further confusion, he continues. "My dear Sookie, I am sorry that you must learn of your heritage in such circumstances, but I could no longer stand idly by in your life. My name is Niall Brigant and I am your great-grandfather. My son, Fintan, met your grandmother Adele many many years ago, and fell in love."

I felt my eyes bug out of my skull. Then immediate denial.

"No. My Gran loved her husband. She would NEVER betray him like that." I say with anger in my voice. I was about to go on a tirade of how dare he accuse my beloved grandmother of infidelity when he held up a graceful hand to stop me.

"Little One, I am so sorry to inform you that the grandfather you recall is simply a memory. Sometime after Adele married Earl, he fell ill to a strong side effect of the measles. He had had the illness when he was younger, and an unexpected complication took his life only two years after they were married. Adele was distraught, alone, and fearful, when my son Fintan came across her. She was crying at your grandfather's grave when Fintan provided her comfort, and an arrangement. Fintan was quite taken with her, you see, he had watched her for some time from the portal and had finally found the courage to approach her. He proposed that he could imitate her beloved Earl, and provide her the children she so longed for, and your grandmother agreed. Fintan cast a simple spell that changed the late Earl Stackhouse's death to that of another distant relative, and took the place in your home. However, we fairies are not safe in the human realm, and Fintan was killed by a rogue vampire. It was what initiated the vampire fairy war so so long ago."

My mind was racing.

"So…that means you're my great-grandfather…and what is a fae?" I felt silly asking but it was one of the things I was struggling to understand. I understood I was far from home, and where I was, was a land very different from mine.

"A fae my dear child is a fairy" I snorted "not as you have come to imagine in the silly fiction your world produces. A fairy, is an enchanted being that was born from a mix of supernatural creatures. There are many theories on just how we were created, many believe that it was from the Gods themselves. We are often mistaken for dryads and nymphs, but are much more powerful. And of course, as you can see, nothing like the Tinkerbell you must imagine of us."

"So I'm a supernatural is what you're telling me? I'm a .. a…. _fairy_?!" I asked, still exasperated at what he was telling me. "What is the fae realm? How is it different? I'm thankful for your help in my escape, but I don't understand why I'm here…" I asked, trying to wrap my mind around all that had happened.

Niall's face darkened. "You are here because it is no longer safe for you in the human realm." My eyebrows must have shot up to my hairline. "When that poor excuse for a vampire came into your life, I had hoped I would be able to stop him from corrupting your innocence. It seems I was too late to save your purity, but I was able to save your existence. You will never be a vampire's pawn again."

"Bill? What do you know about Bill?"

"I have watched you since you were a small child, Little One…I watched you struggle with your gift, and I watched you fall in love for the first time. Bill Compton was not whom you were meant to give your purity to." His eyes took on a spark when he spoke now, and a breeze begun to blow his long silver hair behind him as he continued "He is not your beloved, and he used his blood in order to control you, hoping he could one day abuse your skills for his own advantages. The torture he received was too lax for what he deserved"

I begun to get exasperated. He knew I had given Bill my virginity, and he seemed to know that Bill had betrayed me somehow. I was still in the process of understanding just how that happened, and it seemed this mysterious fairy knew how.

"Tell me what you know about Bill Compton" I said, leaning forward to lay my elbows on the large desk in front of me. Niall met my eyes and I saw his gaze soften again.

"I do not enjoy bring you pain, Little One. I discovered his deception of you through political channels, and once I had confirmed their truth, I brought him here to be punished."

"YOU took Bill?" I asked, to see him give me a curt nod.

"He was in this realm for only 3 days, before his King made an offer on his behalf." His lip curled in disgust.

"But Bill was gone for almost two weeks. You had him that whole time?"

"Time moves differently here. I had to return him to his maker by issue of the Authority, and some political nonsense that claimed you were his pet and he could do what he wished with you. As soon as he was returned, he went squealing to his pathetic maker and that is who kidnapped you. I intervened, and officially invoked my Royal protection as your kin." He met my eyes and smiled softly as he finished. "You are safe here now."

At that, my jaw hit the floor.

"But….Wh-Wh-….What betrayal was he guilty of? What did you punish him for?"

This was what I couldn't figure out. I knew that his blood had something to do with it, and once I had discovered that, I did everything I could to limit how he could manipulate me. But WHY he was using his blood to manipulate me was not something I had discovered.

Niall met my eyes and I saw pity in them.

"TELL ME" I said, slamming my hand on the table. His eyes lit with that blue spark again, and the strong wind returned.

"Little One, you **will** watch. Your. Tone. You may not understand the world of supernaturals, but I am PRINCE of the fairies and you will show me the respect I deserve!" He said, standing as his voice betrayed the warrior that was clearly hidden under this poised politician. I sat back in my chair, and folded my hands neatly, giving him a curt nod as my only form of apology.

"Please" I sneered. He kept my gaze, and the wind died down, but the evil spark in his eyes remained as he began. He sat slowly and paused before he begun to speak again.

"You did not meet William Compton by accident. The rogue vampire that killed Fintan those many years ago has now become the King of Mississippi. After realizing that Fintan had given Adele offspring, he watched his lineage, and waited for someone to show the fairy spark. You my dear, are that person. He waited until your fairy maturity, which is your twenty fifth birthday, before he sent his snivelling slave to form an attachment to you. Bill was sent by his King to bring you back to Mississippi. However, when you could not be glamoured, his mission became delayed, and he found creative ways to get his blood into you."

"Creative? I almost was dying the times he did! He SAVED me" I pointed out, quirking an eyebrow in defiance. Niall leaned forward and tenting his fingers as he looked me in the eyes and explained.

"Little One, now that you have some knowledge of vampires, tell me. Would you ever believe that a vampire would fall victim to drainers easily? Bill Compton is not an old vampire, but he is at least a century old. It would be child's play for him to see silver being thrown at him, he can move far quicker than a human ever could. Yet, the first night he needed 'saving' and do you remember what he offered you as reward for your heroic deed?"

I thought back to the very first night I met Bill. At Merlotte's when the Rats had attacked. I saved him, and took the silver chain off of him and as a reward he offered me…

"His blood" I whispered, dropping my gaze to my folded hands.

"Yes. That was his first attempt. You being the smart girl you are of course refused, and so the next night he escalated his plan. Now tell me Little One, how often are vampires late?"

I looked up into his eyes again, and tried to think of a time when I could recall any vampire I knew to be late. Never. They have a knack for showing up just as the time strikes, 6PM on the dot, or as soon as the sun sets.

"Never" I whispered, tears forming in my eyes, as I start to realize Bill's manipulation.

"Correct. When you live for eternity, you are akin to knowing all the small details, and punctuality is one of those key details. Bill Compton was in the woods the night the Rattaray's beat you to a pulp. I am sad to confirm that Bill glamoured them to do so, in order for him to feed you a large portion of his blood. From that night, he was able to push and pull the emotions that were already inside of you."

"A vampire can _influence_ the emotions in a human?" I asked incredulously. I knew about the dreams but I had no idea their blood had such control.

"Only emotions that are already there. You were drawn to Compton originally, and he amplified that. Just as you were intimidated by Eric initially, and disgusted by his strong advances, he amplified that to fear and repulsion so that you would not be swayed away from him."

"For his –his- King? Is he King of that realm, like you are?" the tears had started to roll slowly down my cheeks. I felt so stupid. A fool all over again.

"No my child. Vampires have their own government, and each state has a King who oversees vampires such as Eric whom are Sheriffs. Bill Compton has been employed by the King of Mississippi, who killed your grandfather."

"Who kidnapped me?" Niall nodded. "So Bill knew that he wanted to drain me, and sell me blood, and he _helped_ " again he nodded. "I was a pawn all along" I whispered.

"Not any longer, Little One" he says, as he stands and kneels in front of me, wiping one of the tears from my cheek. "You are safe. You are protected, and you will remain here for as long as you wish."

I nodded in silence. I felt so alone. So used. I was in this strange land and just learned the extent of my first love's betrayal. From this strange figure who claims to be my great-grandfather. I had no idea what to do. Niall continued talking, and said I could explore all I liked, and that I was a princess by right because of our relation. I felt like a zombie. I didn't care. He dismissed me, giving me time to think, and I returned to my chambers.

I went into a depression after that. I felt so lost. I did not know what to do with myself, and had no idea how I got there or how to get home. I spent my days in my room, or walking the beautiful grounds. Aria and I quickly became friends. She would walk with me on the grounds and explain the heritage of how it came to be. I would always nod numbly.

It was a few weeks after my arrival that Aria introduced me to my cousin (apparently) Claudine. She had been sent by my grandfather to teach me of my powers.

"You have a light inside of you" she explained "this light is your will. It will be amplified by your emotion, and will do what you ask of it. We are sky fairies, and are therefore fuelled by the sun."

We would spend hours working on trying to manifest my light, but it would never surface. I had sunk into a depression in one of the most beautiful realms, and could not find my way out.

My days became much more normal, as I started to explore the library on the grounds, and the advantages of being a fairy princess. I learned to pop, which I was extremely proud of, but had not yet mastered, and could only do very short distances, such as across a room. I became stronger with my telepathy, learning to block people more efficiently, and enter minds without being detected, thanks to Claudine.

I became known to the community, and my great-grandfather began to talk avidly of me. It was two months after my arrival that he begun arranging dinner meetings he wished for me to attend. It was usually a political meeting, with someone of another supernatural species that he wanted me to read subtly. I became somewhat of a consultant. Living on the rich foods of fairy had strengthened my telepathy, and I found that I was able to read peoples intent through their mind. Their thoughts would take on a specific shade with their intent. A dark colour or shade would mean malicious or evil intent, like a black smoke or red mist.

I had just finished a dinner meeting with my grandfather, a demon, and his consultant, when my grandfather mentioned the idea of a mate. I looked at him baffled by the context. My betrayal was still so fresh in my eyes, I couldn't see myself trusting another in a romantic context. Niall smiled, and responded with an ambiguous "time will tell" that left me feeling uneasy.

It was a week later that he sent the first potential mate to my chambers.

The handsome young fairy had knocked politely, and made casual chit chat, explaining he had been sent by my grandfather. I had been confused as to what he could possibly need to discuss, when he started to strip. I immediately started yelling for my handmaiden in the attempts to kick him out of my bedchamber, to find that no one was in the tower at all. He proceeded to remove his clothes, and advanced on me to do the same. In my panic, I threw him out the large window.

That was the first time I was punished.

It seemed that my grandfather had decided it was time to start breeding me. As I was _so beautiful_ and a royal princess, he wanted to start passing on genetics in the purest sense. He would send me a suitor every few days, and I would fight every time. Each time, Niall would get more creative.

My punishment was always delivered by one of my other "cousins". Nevil. He was known as the most evil fairy in the realm, and my grandfather's henchmen. He had dark greasy hair, and silvery eyes, and wanted me for himself. His malicious mind had no bound for the torture he could create.

I had killed 5 suitors, and had been punished 5 times. The first I was starved. The second I was whipped. The third I was tied up and beaten. The fourth and fifth were by far the worst. Nevil had decided by this time that I had refused all others because I enjoyed his torture, I was his plaything and he loved me in his sick twisted way. The fourth time was the first that he used the worst weapon against me. My uncle Bartlett. Somehow he had learned of my past, and the trauma I had experience when my "funny uncle" had thought all those sexual things of me as a little girl. Nevil would enter my mind and project his thoughts, his images, and then torture my body in the most intimate places. The fifth time, it took me a full week to heal. My grandfather would never heal my wounds after a punishment, wanting it to last as long as possible.

It was in that week that I planned my escape. Upon my healing I requested to speak with my grandfather. After many attempts, I was finally granted an audience. I begged. I apologized. I wept. I made him believe I was repenting and would accept any suitor he chose for me. Just not Nevil. He agreed, and said he wanted me with child in a month. I agreed without hesitation, determined that it would never happen.

For those weeks leading to, I spent every second in the sun. I soaked in every drop I could manage, and remembered every work Claudine had spoken. I casually asked Aria what a portal was. Niall had mentioned it in our first meeting, and I was surprised to learn that there were portals from fae to the human realm. One happened to be in the cemetery next to my house. Aria, as young as she was, had no idea that discussing this so candidly with me would allow me to discover the portal in the fae realm. It was at the base of the fountain near my grandfather's office.

Only accessible through his office.

It was the night before my suitor was expected, and I was ready. I felt tipsy with the amount of sun I had soaked in that day. I had spent my day on the water, lounging on a raft, under the guise that I was a repenting princess, doing whatever her grandfather asked. I returned to my chambers, and waited for the early morning. Still under the span of darkness, I put my plan into motion.

I focused my energy, and popped to the hallway of my grandfather's office. I reached out with my telepathy, and found it empty. I took a deep breathe, and popped myself to the edge of his desk in his office.

It was then the alarm went off. Bright blaring sirens started screaming through the whole palace, and bars started to slam close around the entrance. I panicked, and dove underneath them to the large patio.

I did not have any energy left to pop, so I started sprinting down the stairs. A fairy guard popped in front of me, and lunged at me, attempting to take me to the ground. He tackled me and my back hit the concrete stairs, my head connecting with the ground. Guards started to pop to the top of the stairs, running down in order to help him detain me.

 _NO!_ I had to use my last resort. I thought of my anger. Of all the torture I had endured. Of Nevil. Of Niall. I felt the tips of my fingers begin to buzz, and I raised a hand to the guard straddling me and willed my light towards his face.

A giant ball of yellow lightening shot right at his head, and as he flew across the yard the guards started to swarm me again. I raised my arms out to my sides, imagining a ball surrounding me, and willed my light out in all directions. I had no idea what I was doing but I was MAD and it was working. My light swelled around me and then exploded in all directions like a bomb. It hit the guards coming down the stairs, and seemed to stun them. I raced forward to the fountain, trying to remember what Aria had said about the portal.

 _How do I get to the other realm? She hadn't told me how to USE the portal, just where it was located._ I panicked. I had to think quickly, more guards were beginning to pop to where I was tackled in the landing some yards away from me. On instinct, I sprinted to the edge of the fountain, and dove head first into the water. I pictured the cemetery, laying on the grass in front of Gran's grace, talking to her about my problems as I had done a million times. I focused with everything I had, shutting my eyes tightly and willing myself not to hit the bottom of the fountain pool.

I felt my hands tingle, and my whole body felt like it was sucked through a tube. Then I was free falling as if I had jumped off a large cliff.

My hands hit the ground, and I rolled on instinct, letting my shoulder turn towards the ground and my body roll with the impact.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

EPOV

2:00 PM

My eyes snapped open. The pain was gone. I took a large inhale that I didn't need, and felt my chest. There was no stretching, no discomfort.

I sat up straight in my bed.

" _Min son,_ what is it?" Godric asks, laying a hand on my back.

I look back at him, still clutching my chest, and I whisper

"Sookie" _Gods, she has finally been returned to me._


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Thank you for all the reviews! Sorry for the delay, I wanted to be sure of the direction I was taking this now that the plot has thickened (har har). Lemons are in the near future!**

LAST TIME

"Min son, what is it?" Godric asks, laying a hand on my back.

I look back at him, still clutching my chest, and I whisper:

"Sookie" _Gods, she has finally been returned to me._

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SPOV

I tucked and rolled on instinct, and felt a sharp pain in my shoulder as it connected with the ground. I summersaulted for a few moments and then came out of the roll ungracefully. I landed with a _WHACK_ as my heels hit the ground hard, and my back stretched out flat. I opened my eyes, trying to gauge the state I as in and how fast I could move.

 _Exhausted_

 _Starving_

My shoulder was throbbing, and I looked down to see that my joint had popped out of the socket. My right arm lay limp and felt like it was asleep, where the joint of my shoulder was protruding grotesquely forward. In all honesty, it could have been much worse, and I was thankful I seemed to be in one piece and not a mess on the bottom of the fountain's pool.

My eyes bugged, as the memory of my escape comes back to the forefront of my mind. I quickly turn my head around, assessing where I've landed. My head is foggy from the landing, and the weird sensation that had to be teleporting out of the fae realm. It takes me a few moments, but I realize I'm in the cemetery next to my house in Bon Temps.

Happy tears spring to my eyes. After months of wishing to be nowhere but here, I have finally made it home. The sun is high in the sky, and I look at my watch. The arms are flailing madly, and I realize it was one of the many gifts I received in fae, that will likely be useless in this realm. I then see that my dress has been returned to the sad bloody state it was when I was rescued. My brows scrunch at that. _Curiouser, and curiouser._

I slowly sit up, and bring my feet underneath me. I then use my good hand to steady myself, lean forward and stand. It was awkward, but it got me up. I let my head adjust to my new position, and feel myself sway. I need to get inside though so I can't waste time doddling, as Gran would say. I start to put one foot in front of the other, and start to move towards my back door. I take a few breaks along the way, resting against the old trees around my property line, but am relieved that no guards seemed to have followed me. Grandfather is terrified of this realm. He won't admit it, but I can see it. There is something about the unpredictability of humans and vampires that leaves him uneasy. As the king of political chess, he does not like to allow even the possibility of losing become an option.

I make it to my backdoor, and notice that the screen looks different. New in fact. I can't say I can remember the last **new** thing I put on that house. Especially after Gran died, I had lost some of my gusto to restore it. Then that ridiculous maenad went and made it even harder to get back to its former glory. I stared at the door for a minute, before I chalk it up to maybe Jason finally being a good brother and getting it from a neighbour. I swing it open ( _no creaks?!)_ and open the heaving wood door. It is unlocked as usual, and I step into the kitchen. I sigh, fighting the urge to collapse right there on the floor, and notice that it somehow still looks clean, even though I've been gone for at least a few months. Grandfather had said time moves differently in the fae realm though… _I wonder what day it is here.._

My shoulder throbs painfully, and I make quick work of locking the door and getting fully inside. I make my way upstairs, intent on a shower, and chuck the scraps of my dress in the small garbage can in my room. I turn the water on in the shower, and crank it to as hot as it will go, and wait for the steam to start filling the bathroom before I step in, and slide to a heap on the tile floor. The water burns my skin, making it feel like I'm out in the sun tanning, and I see the dirt and grime wash off me in dark puddles down the drain. My shoulder is on fire, but I am still trying to piece together my next steps.

 _So, let's go with what we know:_

 _Last time I was in this realm, I was kidnapped by a Southern vampire who was working with Steve Newlin. They wanted to turn me into the newest flavour of True Blood._

 _I was saved by my Royal Great Grandfather who has now decided he wants to breed me, like I'm cattle_

 _So in summary, I am wanted by two different breeds of supernaturals, I'm injured, and exhausted._

As I contemplated just what I was going to do next, I must have dozed off. I woke up to the water cooling, so I slowly stood and turned it off. I grabbed a towel and toweled off best I could, before climbing into bed. I glanced at the clock on my bedside to see it was 5PM, just before I dozed off again.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I lay flat on my back, on my nice comfy bed. I felt like I was floating in the middle of the lake again. My body felt weightless, no pain, with butterfly touches dancing all over my heated skin. It felt as if a feather was being used to trace my limbs. It started on my left shoulder, tracing softly all the way down to my wrist, over to the top of my right shoulder, down to my wrist. The butterfly then traced my forehead, flowing from my hairline to the tip of my nose. My jaw line, down my neck, across my collarbone, down my chest. The butterfly traces the top of my breasts and then seems to move lower, moving down between them. My eyes flutter open as I sigh, taking in the view of my bedroom, and searching for the butterfly that has been tickling me.

I hear the click of fangs, just as my vision settles on the very large vampire form that is hovering above me.

"What the HELL?!" on instinct, I summon my light, intent on flinging the form across my room. A small ball forms, just large enough to singe the vampires face and recoil him back against my bedroom door, where I can finally see his face. I snap to my feet just as he growls. _Eric_.

"Excuse me? Just what in the world do you think you're doing?!" I screech at him. He is looking at me with the most dangerous level of lust in his eyes and I try to gather some of my energy in case I need to blast him with something bigger than my last blast. His eyes are travelling up and down my form, as I realize that my towel dropped when I stood from the bed.

"Such a strange sensation, when the reality matches what you pictured in your mind so precisely" he says in a husky tone. I awkwardly grab my towel with my good arm and hold it across my breasts to cover at least half of me. Eric starts to take a few steps towards me, with this hungry lustful look in his eyes, and I feel my panic rise.

"Is this a dream? How much of your blood is still in me?" I hear myself asking, which makes him pause and his eyebrow quirk slightly before he continues to stalk towards me.

"I assure you this is no dream" he says, now standing directly in front of me. His eyes have begun roaming my body again, and as I let my eyes quickly travel his form I see that his fangs aren't the only thing excited to see me.

"Then how are you here? I haven't given you an invitation" I ask, clutching the towel tighter to my body. I feel this pull to him, like I want to sink into his arms and kiss the living daylights out of him. The other part of me is still in defensive mode. I have been fighting for my life for the past few weeks, especially the last few hours, and my instincts are to fight or run.

"You don't own the house anymore" he says, dangling keys from his fingers "I do."

"You own my house?" I ask sarcastically "and just how to you think you came to buy my house Mr. High and Mighty? I never put it up for sale, the Stackhouse's have lived in this home for generations! You can't just up and BUY whatever you please! That is NOT how this world works! Why do people with the smallest inkling of power think they can just walk all over us little people?!" I feel the fire start to gather within me, and my hands have started to spark again. Eric looks confused, and takes a step back.

"Sookie, you have been gone for almost 3 years. That day you were kidnapped, Godric and I tried to rescue you, but you were teleported to the fae realm. Your brother had no idea what had happened to you, so after some time, he put the house for sale." Eric explains, watching my reaction closely. "You are injured" he says, as he lifts his long arm to ghost his fingertip over my shoulder.

His eyes have something in them I have never seen before. He looks….concerned. I feel the fight in me dwindle. I want to trust him, I want to let him in. He was going to save me. I wanted him to, that's why I gave him my blood. My shoulders sag, and I feel the sparks in my hands fizzle.

"I escaped." I whisper. The realization has just seemed to kick in. My adrenaline has come down, and everything has started to hit me again. I still feel exhausted and my shoulder is throbbing.

"Niall said you were a Consultant, there of your own free will" Eric says, shaking his head. His mind looks like it's trying to put everything together.

"I was. For the first few months." I reply. My eyes glaze over as I try not to go back to that room with Nevil. "After a while, Niall started mentioning I needed a mate, and that it was time I begun populating the royal line that saved me." I feel bile rise in my throat. _My grandfather, the "saviour" that tried to turn me into a baby making machine against my will._ "I don't know how many times I can be fooled" I whisper angrily, forgetting Eric is still a mere arm's length away from me.

Eric growls menacingly. "No" he says, "never again will you be a victim". His eyes snap up to meet my tired gaze, and the lustful heat has returned.

"Sookie Stackhouse." he closes the distance, puts his large hands on either side of my head, and punctuates his next words.

"You" a kiss to my forehead.

"Are" a kiss to my cheek.

"Mine" and with that, he leans down to capture my lips, and kisses me for all that I'm worth.

AN: *Ducks* I know I'm terrible. But you'll get ALL the lemons if you send me a review! :)


	10. Chapter 10

_AN: I pulled some script here right from True Blood. No copyright infringement intended. I just want to play with the pretty people. Minn ljos means "my light"._

 _LAST TIME_

 _"Sookie Stackhouse." he closes the distance, puts his large hands on either side of my head, and punctuates his next words._

 _"You" a kiss to my forehead._

 _"Are" a kiss to my cheek._

 _"Mine" and with that, he leans down to capture my lips, and kisses me for all that I'm worth._

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SPOV

His hands tangled in my long hair, pulling me closer towards him as he slants his mouth over mine. His tongue sweeps over my shocked and closed lips, quickly begging for entrance. My lips react out of instinct, connecting with his as he tries to possess every inch of me. His one hand stays tangled in my locks, and his other drifts down to my waist, nudging my arm in the process.

I take a sharp inhale on a gasp and disentangle myself completely.

"I know, I know I'm intoxicating, but I'm not in the mood Viking" I sass him, taking another step away from him. I pull my towel closer to my body and meet his eyes. He looks like he's about to argue, and is about to take a step towards me when I hold up a hand to him. "Eric, please" I whisper.

"I've just returned from the fight of my life and am somehow still standing. Regardless of whatever this is" I say, gesturing with the good arm between us "I need to put a pause on it and focus on getting my bearings". He takes another step towards me, letting my outstretched hand lay flat against his very large chest.

"Let me heal you then, and I'll leave". My eyes follow my outstretched hand. _I forgot how big he was. So strong._ My mind starts to go down a much different path before his words actually register, and I meet his intense gaze again.

"No" I say. His brows furrow and he starts to lean down into my space again, hunching his back to become eye level. I quickly take another step back, grab some clothes from my dresser and lock myself into the bathroom to change. I try to dress quickly, knowing that Viking could storm in for another peep show whenever he pleases, but it's difficult with my dislocated shoulder. A part of me is humming that his blood would fix it in moments, but the other part of me is yelling that I've just escaped one power-hungry fairy prince, I don't need to indebt myself to a vampire sheriff. Regardless of my plans from the beginning. I need to regroup. I need time.

I open the door, and start walking down the stairs. Eric quickly follows.

"I need you to go" I throw over my shoulder in a strong tone, hoping it leaves no room for negotiation.

"This is no way to treat your new landlord" Eric quips back. It seems he wants to banter, and has his trademark smirk plastered on his face.

"I am not yours Eric. Regardless of whatever happened in the past, I want you out of my house". As I cleared the last step of my stairs, Eric vamps in front of me, blocking my path to the kitchen.

"Funny thing about ownership isn't it? A little piece of paper, and the only power you had over me is gone" he leans towards me again, and lets his lips ghost my ear as he says "I seem to recall you liking the idea of being mine when you gave me your blood".

My gaze falters at the memory, I break eye contact and cast my gaze down to the floor.

"Things are different now….I'm different. I told you I need some time… What do you want from me?" I paused between each comment, my brain working overtime. _What did I want?_ I hadn't planned much past my escape, and now I had a whole other demon (well, vampire) to deal with.

Eric didn't miss a beat, letting my emotional turmoil go unnoticed, as he quickly responds with "everything". I roll my eyes and step around him once again.

"Well you can't have everything" I quip. He follows behind me at human pace as I finally enter the kitchen.

"I bought it" he replies with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"You bought my house, the house does NOT come with me in it, clearly" I gesture around me, noticing now the furniture has been covered in plastic sheets, but looks the same as it did when I left.

"Well then I seriously overpaid" Eric responds. _Never misses a beat, does he_. I roll my eyes.

"That's your problem" I sass, making my way to the wall I reach for the phone. My hand pauses as I realize I don't know who to call. Eric vamps behind me, bringing his body as close to mine as possible. I feel his large chest against my shoulders, and he leans down to scent me. He lowers his head to the crook of my neck and trails it down to my shoulder, placing a small kiss on it.

"Sookie" I'm fighting the urge to melt completely. I'm so exhausted. My shoulder is throbbing. I refuse to meet his eyes, even if my body wants to crumple into him. "At least let me call Doctor Ludwig" he says, when I still refuse to look at him. I try not to slump with relief, and give a small nod. Eric then opens his phone and quickly asks the Doctor to make a house call. Not one for small talk, the call is over in less than a minute, and Eric quickly deposits his phone back into his jean pocket. I haven't moved, and have remained blankly staring at my kitchen wall. All fight in me seems to have rushed out of me like a popped balloon. _What do I do now? I'm wanted by vampires, I'll be chased by Niall. How will I ever be safe unless I make a deal with the devil…._ My mind is in havoc and my body is just too exhausted to function.

Eric seemed to pick up on my state, and without letting me object, carefully sweeps my into his arms bridal style. My head falls against his chest, as my dislocated shoulder feels heavy and numb, swinging slightly as he moves me to the couch. He grabs a quilt from a small cupboard under the stairs, and lays it over top of the plastic before laying me down gently (awkwardly, so my bad arm is facing outwards). He stays hunched over, staring at me for a moment, before he crouches down to my level. He opens his mouth to speak, just as there is a sharp _pop_ into my living room.

I let out a shrill screech, curling into a ball, and trying to disappear into the sofa. My veins fill with panic and I try to desperately start summoning my light. I try to pull it around me, like I did when I was escaping, but it feels like a dead car battery. My light is sputtering, trying to produce power, but in the end falling flat. My heart is in my throat, and I let out a strangled sob as I hear a static mind come closer to me slowly.

"Northman, what have you done to this girl?" I hear a scratchy voice ask from what is almost eye level. I'm in too much of a panic to register that the new voice seems tiny, barely reaching the top of the couch in height.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

EPOV

Sookie started to panic at the sound of Ludwig's pop into the room, and I can hear her heart beating frantically. "I think she's having a panic attack" I softly say in Swedish over my shoulder to the small demon. Ludwig nods and slowly continues her approach towards Sookie. She taps me harshly on the shoulder and says "move" and begins speaking in a soft and soothing voice.

"Child, my name is Doctor Ludwig. I am here to help you" she says. She is standing a small distance away from the couch still, and I start to smell magic in the air. My fangs drop, thinking that Sookie's kin is making their way to kidnap her. I am about to drop into a defensive stance, when I realize the scent is coming from Sookie. She is emitting a soft golden glow that seems to hum, gain brightness, and fizzle out. Her breathing is harsh and coming in gasping breaths. She is still a fragile ball in the corner of the couch, trying hard to get as far into the cushions as she can.

"No. _No_. I can't go back. NO! Don't take me back there. I can't do that again!" She starts to yell into the cushions, she has started trembling. Ludwig stops her approach and looks at me.

"She smells like the Fae realm. They did this?" she asks me in Swedish, motioning to Sookie's arm and overall state. I give a quick nod, fighting the urge to growl. Ludwig seems to pause before informing me that she is in too much panic for her to touch her without making the situation worse.

"Do you think you can calm her down?" she asks me, accompanying the gruff request with a doubtful glance. I snap my fangs back into my gums and start talking to Sookie quietly. First just calling her name. It takes about 5 times before Sookie starts to hear me, and stops screaming against being taken back to someone named Nevil. She is still shaking but I have managed to get close enough to the couch to lay my fingers on her knee. My cool touch seems to register and she lets out a broken whisper of my name.

"Please Eric. Don't let them take me back" she says, reaching her good arm towards me from inside the ball she has retreated to. I softly take hold of her hand, awkwardly since it shot out under her armpit underneath her limp arm and her balled up legs.

"I won't, _minn ljós_ , I promise. It is only the doctor, she wants to help you. I will be right here" I soothe her, not realizing the term of endearment, or the small doctor's eyebrows shooting up to her hairline in surprise.

Sookie opens her eyes, grasping my hand more firmly and giving a small nod. She slowly uncurls her legs from the tight ball, and reaches towards me. On instinct, I gently lift her from under her arms, swing her legs across my lap, scoot my body underneath her, and sit back down on the couch. Her legs are now draped across me, her dislocated arm facing outwards. I look at Ludwig, who is still standing in shock, before realizing she is now able to treat her patient. I have a grasp underneath Sookie's legs, and low on her back, and have dropped my head to rest against hers which she has tucked into the crook of my neck. She is still breathing heavily, and her heart is wild. Ludwig approaches slowly.

" _Minn ljós_ , the doctor is going to fix your shoulder, but I'm going to hold you the whole time. She is only going to touch it for a moment, okay?" Sookie barely nods, as Ludwig starts to touch Sookie's right hand and upper forearm.

"Dislocated" she grumbles and meets my eyes. I figured. _Stubborn girl, resetting it will hurt her much more than if she had just taken my blood._

"Sookie, the doctor needs to put your shoulder back in place" she tenses. "It will only hurt for a moment, I promise. I'm going to hold you the whole time" I smell the tears before I register the small drops landing on my neck. She nods again. I look at the doctor, and before I've even finished nodding, she gives a small push to the joint and a loud CRACK sounds through the room as Sookie lets out a small shriek.

"I'm sorry Child. It's better if you don't see it coming". She pats her knee, and proceeds to sling her arm and give me care instructions.

"I won't ask why you didn't heal her with your blood, Viking. She will be in some discomfort and should avoid using the arm for a few days." She then digs in the front of her small medical bag and pulls out a card. She flashes it at me, revealing the name of a supernatural therapist, and leaves it on the table. Then she starts to walk over to the front door, I assume to pop from the yard so as not to frighten Sookie again. She throws out a gruff "you'll get my bill" before she leaves.

I hear the doctor pop from the porch, and look down at Sookie. She has fallen asleep. Her heart rate is back to normal, and she seems to have settled. I just sit with her in my arms, rest my head on the back of the couch, and slip into downtime.

 _This girl has completely uprooted my life_. I did not realize my affection towards her until she was so violently torn from our realm. I reach towards the bond with my maker and send him contentment, and relief. He sends me understanding and support. My maker has been my rock throughout this time. Godric relocated to my area shortly after Sookie was captured, and has stayed with me since. He resigned his position as Sherriff, but has been a consultant with the Authority on occasion. Pam on the other hand, has been an absolute pain in my ass. Though she always has. But the last few years she has tried to throw every blonde with boobs at me in the hopes that I will return to my throne and appease the fans. I have steadily declined.

Over a thousand years before her, and it took three for me to realize… I never want another. My head snaps forward at this realization. I've always hated emotions and have recoiled at the thought of them.

 _I'm screwed._

I hover myself off the couch, and fly up to Sookie's room. I am about to deposit her on her bed, when I pause. Would she react badly waking up alone? Or worse if I were to bring her to my place? Godric will rise sooner than I will, and he may be able to settle her confusion. I feel uneasy about leaving her alone after she felt such panic. I consider her anger, but quickly determine it is outweighed by her safety. If she truly escaped from the Fae, she is not safe here. Decided, I glide back downstairs and grab the quilt to cover her in. I wrap her, close the doors, and begin the short flight to my safe house.

I know I may have one angry telepath when I rise. But can't help the smirk that forms on my face at the thought of the challenge. _Thank the Gods. She is back_.


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews and follows! I know it's been a while since I updated, but I promise there are a few coming down the pipelines. This is a bit of a filler chapter, but we'll get some E/S time in the next one following. Hoping to have the next one up by the end of the week**

 **Enjoy!**

SPOV

I woke slowly to complete darkness. I still felt groggy and disoriented, and wanted nothing more to continue sleeping. I took a deep inhale and gingerly stretch my limbs.

Silk.

My mind registered that I was on a large bed, with silk sheets. I felt my heart rate increase. I started to use all of my senses, the way Claudine had taught me. My sight was useless, touch was a gamble since I couldn't see much, but could assume I was in a bedroom. _Lord All Mighty please let it_ _ **not**_ _be Nevil's_. The small, broken voice inside me prays. I sit up slowly, reaching my hands all along the edges of what I assess to be a king-sized bed. A very EMPTY king-sized bed. _Hallelujah to the Big Guy upstairs_.

I then sit cross legged, and start to continue my slow, deep inhales, closing my eyes and focusing. My recent memories start to slowly filter into my mind. The escape, the return home, the … Eric, the doctor. I must have passed out afterwards, because the last thing I could remember was my neck comfortably tucked into the Viking's neck. _Sexy neck, he had smelt so good_. I take another deep inhale, and realize that, that same scent is all around me. _So the Viking took me home?_ A part of me is shocked. I know he wants me, but if he wanted me in his bed so badly, wouldn't he have trapped me cuddling so that he has a snack to wake up to? Not to mention the virgin he's been chasing …

My heart swells a bit at the thought. He had capitalized on the sale of my house, but not on me, in a very big moment of weakness. After all that has transpired recently, I find myself devoid of well (sorry Gran) any FUCKS to give. I have spent far too long putting everyone else but ME first, and what did I get for it? Assaulted, kidnapped, tortured, and … Nevil.

I stay in that position for a while, sinking into a kind of meditation, and find myself back in the sub-conscious space I had found in the basement with Steve Newlin. The space has transformed from the wide spanning field, to the beach. There are large hills and rocks behind me, and a sharp crisp chill in the air. Definitely not somewhere in the south, but it is what I imagine somewhere in North Europe would be like. I find myself slowly walking the shoreline, my toes in the icy water. I am in another bland wispy gown, this one seeming to be of a century long ago.

With the rolling waves, I find my mind becoming more relaxed, I am embracing the idea of focusing on ME, and nothing else. I plop myself down in the sand, toes still in the water, as the waves tickle them, and ask myself the million dollar question: _What now?_

I register another mind slowly approaching the shoreline. It appears to be a teenage boy. Boyishly handsome, in linen pants and a matching long-sleeved tunic. He has rolled up his pant legs and is walking into the water. I find myself calling out to him.

"It's mighty cold in there mister!" He is only a few hundred yards away, and only slightly inclines his head to acknowledge that he's heard me.

"I do not feel much these days" he whispers over his shoulder in my direction. My brows furrow together. I feel this need to go to him, so I stand slowly, bunch my flowy gown in my hands and walk over to him. We are now up to our knees in the cold water, and stand there in comfortable silence.

"I come here when I feel lost" he tells me.

"You've been here before?" I ask, shocked. Here I thought this was just a part of my own mind, not a physical space.

"Yes, when I was human" he pauses and stares even farther out into the ocean "I would fish these waters to feed my family … such a simpler time then. Before war, before death". He sighs, and it strikes me that he is not human, but vampire. The moon has come out from the clouds, and has struck his skin softly, enhancing the glow that surround vampires in my mind.

"How long ago was that?" I can't help but ask. He closes his eyes, and then turns to face me. He reaches out a hand and caresses my cheek.

"Over two thousand years, Little One" he says, a small smile forming on his lips. "You remind me very much of my sister. She was strong, stubborn. Like you, many people tried to break her, or mould her to what they believe was right. She fought them with everything in her." His hand stops stroking, and comes to land softly on my shoulder. "I am thankful that you at least, have survived".

I cast my gaze downwards. "You're sister didn't?" I whisper. When I don't hear him answer, I raise my eyes to his stormy grey gaze, and he shakes his head ever so slightly.

"In my time, it was seen as a burden to be rectified. Today, your strength will be embraced."

"I don't have much strength left in me" I confess. His other hand comes to land on my other shoulder, his two hands now holding the base of my neck.

"Oh Little One, you have only just realized the strength you hold. Never again will you cower" the small smirk appears on his lips again, as he leans in to brush a kiss to my forehead.

"You know me?"

He has now moved his hands to embrace me. One hand holding my head, the other wrapped around my shoulders. His skin is cold, but I am comforted by it.

"I'd like to" his strong voice rumbles, as I return the hug. "I want you to remember what you are capable of. You have endured much in a short time, and these experiences will only allow you to propel further, if you let them. When faced with struggles, we may let them engulf us, or let them propel us to what we desire."

I close my eyes, as we remain embraced, and find myself return to Eric's bed.

A soft glow lights up the room, and I realize there is a phone resting on the bedside table I was unable to see. The glow allows me to also see the bedside lamp, which I quickly turn on. I am in a small room that has very little furniture. The king sized bed I am resting on, a small dresser with the lamp and smartphone, and one door. I pick up the smartphone and see it is 3:00 in the afternoon. I also see the year and my jaw drops. After coming back from Fae I knew time had passed, but had no idea how long. It seems two and a half years have passed in my absence. I take a moment as that sinks in, and find myself not truly caring. What did I really leave behind? A few friends, who weren't all that accepting of anything supernatural, and a brother who was more self-serving than I'd like to admit.

Abruptly, I hear movement on the other side of the cement door. It sounds like gears turning, and soon the door seems to sink in towards the room, then slide to the side. It reveals the small teenager I was just speaking to in my subconscious. Feeling more centered and awake, I realize it is Godric.

"Do not be afraid" he assures me, taking a few small steps towards me. He comes to stand at the edge of the bed, palms raised in a surrender gesture.

"How did you get in my head?" I quickly ask, bringing my legs up to my chest, and scooting back to the headboard of the bed.

He remains silent, hands still raised as he seems to contemplate how to respond. "In terms of our interaction just now, I was not in your head per se, but projecting a space. Similar to the way you see memories play out, that space is a part of my memory. I use it to meditate. You were meditating in a similar space, without walls, and I pulled you into mine."

"Are you telepathic too?" I ask in a small whisper. His eyes twinkle, and he shakes his head.

"No, I do not have the gifts that you do. I was always of strong mind before I was turned. Very spiritual, and it seems my mother was not entirely human... A demi-god as it turns out. She taught me forms of meditation that allow me to control aspects of the mind. I may speak to my child telepathically, but can hear no others. I found the control of spaces, and mediation was enhanced upon my transition to vampire. I am able to influence others in the same spaces similar to a stronger glamour."

"You could make people hallucinate" I realize. He nods and quickly adds "It is difficult, and I have never used such a skill. But believe I could, yes". He finally drops his hands, and gives me a genuine smile.

"Come, sit with me?" he asks, turning towards the door and gesturing with his head. "I imagine you could use some sustenance" he says, and begins to walk out of the room. As if on cue, my stomach growls loudly, I hear him chuckle, and I blush. Godric and I had not interacted much before all the chaos of the kidnappings. We had met and interacted but nothing intensely significant. However I find myself drawn to a strange sense of comfort with him, like we could be friends. I slowly unfurl my tight limbs, and walk after him slowly.


	12. Chapter 12

_AN: Thank you all SO much for your reviews! I am so glad that you are enjoying my twist. I've added my attempt at an avatar (anyone NOT enjoying the size of that thing?!)._  
 _Some citrus is ahead :)._

 _Here we go!_

SPOV

I slowly followed Godric out of the small bedroom, and realized I was in what seemed to be a basement suite in a kind of underground bunker. The door lead out to an open concept space, with a very rustic feel. Most of the furniture was a distressed wood, seeming to have been made my hand centuries ago. We walked into the open living room space, complete with a large grey sectional, coffee table, and "nest" chair. The space was divided by the long side of the couch, which faced the large expanse of a kitchen. It had a very country-home feel to it, surprisingly. The back wall had wood panelling, the kitchen table was a warm caramel, and the chairs were a cream wood. The kitchen table was bar height, facing a kitchen bar and impressive cooking area (pic below). I realized as Godric walked ahead of me, and grabbed at a handle I hadn't noticed, that the wall of wood panelling was actually the fridge! I was shocked. Definitely not what I would expect a bunker of any sort to look like, but the kitchen itself looked like something out of my dreams. Gran's too.

Godric pulled out a blood and went about warming it, and then sat down at the table, cupping it like it was warm tea. He looked at me expectantly and asked "would you care for something? Tea perhaps?"

I snickered, _not telepathic my butt mister!_ I shook my head, still trying to get my bearings. "I'm quite alright, but some kind of snack would be great, if possible?" I figured it was a farfetched request, but Godric simply nodded to the fridge and encouraged me to help myself.

I walked over slowly, and opened it to find an abundance of pre-cut fruit, veggies, salads, sandwiches, and even a wrapped dish that looked something like lasagna. I grabbed a few of the pre-packaged healthy snacks, and a bottle of water, and sat down across from Godric. I found myself sighing, hanging my head briefly, and digging in. I went back for a sandwich as we sat in comfortable silence.

"Should you like to explore, you will find the suite is rather large" my eyebrows raised "Eric repurposed this space underneath what used to be a library. They were fond of their underground storage, but unfortunately lost it in escrow. Naturally my protégé capitalized" I muttered an "of course" under my breath, and Godric's eyes sung with mirth. "That being said, there is a large library down the hall, the last door on the left. You'll find the first two are our day chambers. There is also a sauna, movie theatre, and small gym that you are welcome to explore."

I nodded and my mind drifted to the library. My brain had enough information to be going through, I didn't think trashy romance would help. But perhaps I'd relax in the movie theatre, or sauna… wait.

"You sure sound like you're planning to stay here a while" I met his eyes, my question implied.

He smirked again in response and looked like he held back a sigh. "Little One, you have been asleep for almost 30 hours. When you are ready, we should discuss your next steps. I believe that you and Eric should speak first though." My jaw dropped hearing I had been asleep for so long, but I suppose that would have to do with the energy it took for me to get back, additional stress had truly tapped me right out. As if on cue, Eric appeared from the door to the left of the table, where Godric said lead to the rest of the suite. He was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed casually, with something indescribable in his eyes. He walked casually over to the fridge, threw a bag in the microwave, and then poured it into a wine glass. As he walked towards the door again, he turned towards me.

"I would greatly appreciate an audience with you, if you would allow it Sookie"

I nodded, and after putting away the garbage from my food, I followed him down the hall. There were four doors on each side, and Eric mentioned that the last two Godric hadn't mentioned were a bathroom (thank goodness) and his office. I excused myself to use the facilities, and Eric went into his office to wait.

I relieved myself, and took a look in the mirror. My reflection shocked me. Matted hair, tired eyes, and a baggy Fangtasia t-shirt that hung to my knees. I looked like something out of a horror film, the one who decides to split from the group. I washed my face, and opened the storage under the sink to find a neatly organized bin with all kinds of human things. I borrowed the brush, and one of the new toothbrushes, and finally returned to the door across the hall that was Eric's office. I paused with my hand on the handle, took a deep breath, and pushed my way in.

Another shock in terms of the décor, but it was so suiting to my tastes I was impressed. It was if the interior designer had made the underground suite feel like a cabin instead of a dungeon. His office had a large desk in the back of the room, with a high winged chair seated behind, the left wall had the same solid wood as the rest of the interior, with a large painting of a sunset mounted. I walked into the room to the small sitting area that faced a gas fireplace, where Eric had sat down with his elbows on his knees.

I sat down on the same couch as him, and turned my body to face him. He seemed to snap out of the down time he had fallen into, and he met my gaze. His eyes were full of emotion that I could not pinpoint … hope? Happiness? _No this is the Viking we're talking about_.

"It is so good to see you" he began, leaning back on the couch, and throwing his arm over the back in a very casual pose. His fingers landed just inches away from my shoulder, and he brushed it with a small caress.

"I can't believe I've been gone for that long. It seemed like just a few months" I replied, unconsciously leaning further into his fingers. His hand opened and came to cup the side of my neck just under my ear. I felt my eyes close and a content sigh release.

"It has been nine hundred and eighty four days since I last saw you" he said on a hushed whisper. I half heard him, my body seemed to be humming with the small physical connection we currently had. I opened my eyes, a part of me believing it was only his vampire-ness that allowed him to track those days so accurately. What I found in his gaze looked akin to pain. I scouted closer to him, so that my knee that was resting folded on the couch was now almost on top of his own, as we leaned towards each other. Our arms were both laying on top of the back of the couch, and my left arm came across to ghost over his furrowed brows, his gaze drifted down and his eyes closed.

"Is that your way of saying you missed me? What no other blood bags around to keep you occupied?" I half-heartedly threw the joke out, not expecting the flinch I saw. I felt my own brows scrunch together. "Eric? What aren't you telling me?"

He raised his eyes to mine, and began "Ever since I have had your blood I have had a stronger connection to you than what is expected. I should only be able to feel that you are alive, and your location" I nodded, vaguely remembering the conversation Niall had when I had first arrived in Faery. "But ever since that night … that kiss" his eyes show the heat he feels at the mention of that memory "I have had what is similar to a blood bond with you. Actually, stranger than that. A blood bond would allow me to feel your emotions, push them to you, and even influence them." I kept his gaze, waiting for him to continue. His hands reach out to cup my face as he stares at me intently.

"I don't understand how, but we have something else entirely… When you were attacked, and kidnapped, I felt every pain you endured as if it were my own" he brushes the stray hair that had fallen into my face, and I gasp. I pull back, as his hands fall into his lap. My heart rate increases as I begin to recall the hell my body endured in those said 984 days. I pull my leg off the couch, and find myself fiddling with my hands in my lap, staring straight ahead as I ask "and when I was in Faery?"

I'm afraid to know the answer. If he felt the torture Nevil put me through, he'll know how broken I am. He'll know that I will never be the same. He won't _want_ me anymore.

He reaches out to turn my chin towards him, concern laced in his touch and gaze. "I felt as if I had been stretched past the means of my body. I could tell you were alive, but you seemed to be so far away, it was like I was being slowly torn in two."

"EVERY day?" I asked, and he nods. "Did …. D-did you feel anything else during that time?" my eyes drop to the floor, as his hand is still under my chin. I brace myself for the answer.

"No. The discomfort was so extreme Godric considered calling a witch. Pam thought I had truly gone insane. But the moment you came back into this realm, I felt it. It woke me from my day rest. It took everything in me not to come to you right that second"

I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Sookie. What else happened in Faery? Who is Nevil?" My eyes shot out to his as he says the name and my veins fill with terror.

"H-H-how do you know that name" I ask, my body starts trembling.

"You mentioned it last night during your panic attack. You were afraid Doctor Ludwig was going to take you back to him" his hands have dropped again. One rests on my knee, the other on the couch just behind where I am seated. My eyes glaze over. I can't relive that. I can't. I realize that Eric won't drop it though, so I know I have to give him something. I steel myself and I reply,

"That is the name of my great-grandfather's henchmen…..he gives out the harsher punishments to those who disobey" I answer robotically. Eric growls.

"Did he touch you? Did he HURT you?" His voice has started rising. I'm still trembling, and I have begun shaking. I can feel the tears coming, and I try to hold them back. But as one falls, the rest follow, and I find the waterfall cascading down my face. I throw my face in my hands, not wanting to let this sexy Viking see the mess that I really am. Before I can register the movement, Eric has grabbed me, and settled me across his lap. My face still tucked in my hands, now rests against his shoulder, my legs across his lap. He holds me close to him, rubbing my back, as I let out some of the pain. After a few minutes, I come back to myself, and register the embarrassment running through my veins. Some time during my brief episode Eric started humming softly, and doesn't seem the least bit uncomfortable. Not wanting to analyze it any more than I have to, I simply take my head out of my hands, and wrap my arms around his neck.

"They will never hurt you again, minn ljos, I promise" he whispers into my hear, dropping a kiss on the top of my head. I pull back slightly, and meet his gaze. His hands come back to my face again, as he wipes the remains of my tears. I rest my forehead against his, the physical contact we've maintained makes me feel so safe. I briefly remember feeling that way when I went to his office all those years ago. He has always made me feel safe. Maybe he really can protect me. A part of me bristles at the fact that I need ANYONE to protect me, I am a strong southern woman, thank you. But the rational part of me realizes, I have been through hell, I have lived to tell it, but coming back to myself is going to take help. Between Eric and Godric I feel that they may be just the help I need. With resolve in my mind, I whisper my thanks to Eric. His stormy gaze now holds the same emotion I thought I saw when he entered the kitchen: hope.

I find my hand brushing his hair back from his forehead, as I softly lower my lips to his. I didn't rush it. I didn't add anything more to it. It was almost a further expression of my thanks. But as our lips met, I felt this emotion explode inside of me. Warmth. Joy. Happiness. Our lips melded together as we both just enjoyed the moment, learning each other's mouths, our tastes, our likes. It was like what my first kiss should have been like. No rush. No hurry. A heap load of lust, but no pressure to do anything but make out like teenagers. I grasped his bottom lip between mine, and softly ran my tongue across it and I hear him let out a small strangled moan. I then switched to grasp his top lip and gave it the same loving treatment. Some time in our make out I realize that Eric had dipped me over his arm, and I was now in a very romantic-like pose. Similar to the famous statue of the sailor coming home, only seated. Upon my second daring move of licking his top lip I finally heard the sound of his fangs, and he pulled back fractionally. His nose grazes mine, and he actually sighed. My eyes open lazily, as one of my hands is still tangled in his hair, the other is spanned out across his shoulder and sexy back. We both seem to come back to ourselves in that moment, and we exchange small smiles.

Neither of us seem to need to talk further. There is still much to be said, but we seem to come to some kind of unspoken agreement. We'll talk further. Just not now.

Eric straightens my body again, and then stands, setting me on my feet. I straighten my make-shift dress (t-shirt) and blush. He drops another soft kiss on my lips "let's go speak with Godric" it didn't sound like a question, but his eyes implied it was. _Who is this vampire?!_ I nod, and we walk out of his office, hand in hand. A part of me is still confused, and feeling like I shouldn't be trusting another after what I've been through. But as we walk back out into the kitchen, where Godric is still seated, I realize that these two vampires are the best people to help me get back to myself.

Then, all hell will break lose.

 _Hell hath no fury, like a faery scorned._


	13. Chapter 13

_**AN:**_ _Thanks for your patience everyone!_

 _On to the next one…_

 _ **LAST TIME:**_

 _Eric straightens my body again, and then stands, setting me on my feet. I straighten my make-shift dress (t-shirt) and blush. He drops another soft kiss on my lips "let's go speak with Godric" it didn't sound like a question, but his eyes implied it was._ _Who is this vampire?!_ _I nod, and we walk out of his office, hand in hand. A part of me is still confused, and feeling like I shouldn't be trusting another after what I've been through. But as we walk back out into the kitchen, where Godric is still seated, I realize that these two vampires are the best people to help me get back to myself._

 _Then, all hell will break lose._

 _Hell hath no fury, like a faery scorned._

 _ **SPOV**_

As Eric and I re-enter the kitchen, Godric lifts his gaze to meet ours.

"How are you feeling, Little One?" he asks me, gesturing for me to join him at the kitchen table again. I take the chair opposite him, and sigh.

"Overwhelmed but motivated." I reply, fidgeting with my hands as the gears in my head start to turn.

Both vampires quirk eyebrows at me, urging me to continue. I sit silently for a moment, as I start to form a plan. After a few moments, I find myself looking at Godric, and rattling off questions rapid fire.

"Have you ever seen that movie with all of the teenagers who have superpowers?"

Both vampires take a glance at each other, not understanding my question, but Godric humors me with a nod.

"Is there any place like that… does anything like that actually exists?" Farfetched, I know, but I felt like I had some training, but did not trust myself quite yet. Eric seemed to catch on to my train of thought.

"You are wishing to be trained?" he asks. I feel myself scrunch my face and wiggle my lips as I pause.

"Not exactly… I was trained in Faery by one of my distant relatives but I don't know how my powers will work in this realm. I also don't feel I've matured enough with them. My talents grew while I was there, but my personal wellbeing was threatened. I feel like I was prepared and then damaged and I need some time to find balance both emotionally and physically before I can seek revenge."

As I spoke, I found myself becoming more enraged. Even just the mention of my time in faery, and training with Claudine, was enough to fan the flame. A part of me was still raw, still healing (both literally and metaphorically) but the other part of me was already reaching towards the satisfaction of justice. Like the light at the end of the tunnel, or a very satisfying itch, I wanted to serve my own brand of revenge. As I finished my brief explanation, I brought my gaze back to Eric's cobalt blue gaze, to see a look of surprise. Quickly looking over to Godric, I found something very similar reflected.

"Lover, you are glowing" Eric says in a whispered tone "and your eyes …. They are magnificent".

Eric had been standing slightly behind Godric, who remained seated at the table with me. With this hushed comments, he took small steps towards me, almost like he was hypnotized by what he was seeing.

As he mentioned the changes in my body, I began to reflect internally. This was something Claudine had taught me in Faery when we were trying to tap into my spark. As it is harnessed by emotions, my spark would activate when I feel extreme waves of feelings. It was easy to understand what emotion had sparked this reaction, but I wanted to remember the feelings in order to begin to harness that when I needed it. I had learned on the job during my escape, but I did not want to continue this practice.

I felt the hum of my spark as if it was liquid fire in my veins.

I felt strong. I felt empowered. I felt ANGRY, and it was glorious. But I was not going to be a naïve young girl again, and allow someone with more age and experience to manipulate me into their web yet again. I wanted to be a warrior, and I was going to prepare myself in all ways possible.

I met Godric's gaze. "Is there a supernatural you would trust to train me?" I felt the fire sizzle in my veins, almost as if it was asking for an outlet. To form a ball of light, or to explode out around me in the small space, just to see the destruction. I was excited about the opportunity to become a warrior, and I found my hands flexing in and out of fists as they rested on the table.

The corners of his lips turned up slightly, as he begins to nod. "There is a revered warrior among our ranks that I believe would be very suiting for your wishes." At this Eric finally seats himself at the end of the table, and looks at Godric with curiosity. "I will call Thalia and request her assistance in our area."

"Speaking of, what area are we in?" I feel as if my mind is sharper in this moment. The buzz still burning through me, and the glow no doubt still emitting from my body.

Eric responds quickly "After Dr. Ludwig reset your arm I could not risk leaving you in your previous home. It was unsafe. We are in my highest security safe house just outside of Shreveport." As he replies, he is still staring at me as if I am a rare jewel.

I nod and Godric continues.

"I do not believe this would be best suiting for your training. I have a property in Europe that would be better fitting for such a cause, one that has been heavily warded, and will allow you to remain there unscented, and unharmed." I continue nodding, and Godric pauses. His lips become a flat line and he pauses. I feel the buzz start to dwindle, as my emotions become more focused on the logistics of getting to this new location and what I will need for this time there. I feel my eyes go back to normal. Almost as if they were lightbulbs being turned off, and I flex my hands again, and stretch my neck side to side, trying to calm this adrenaline that sporadically surged through me. I shift in my chair slightly, extending my legs and take a short sharp gasp, as I nudge my pelvis in the process. Godric and Eric have been silently regarding me during this time, and I find I do not mind.

I feel I have finally returned to my "normal" state, and Godric reaches his hand across the table to slowly grasp mine. "I would like you to see Dr. Ludwig again before we relocate."

I haven't known Godric for long, I saved him from the Fellowship all that time ago, but we have rarely spoken - the most recent sub-conscious encounter aside. I find myself wanting to know more about him, and respecting his opinion. That however, did not calm the panic and fear that surged in me with his suggestion, and I felt my stubbornness take hold.

"Why" I demand. "She's already seen me, just over 24 hours ago". Godric's hand is grasping mine lightly, the cold temperature feeling delightfully soothing on my body that is still cooling down. He brings his other hand to rest atop of our joined ones.

"There are other things I believe she should look at." He says, and meets my eyes with a soft understanding look. Eric looks between Godric and I, confused, before he inhales and stiffens. I hear him begin to growl, and glance over to see his face has taken on a very stony, and angry expression.

"I have not healed you appropriately." Eric now looks at me. "You did not tell me of your other injuries".

The fear and panic start rising, and I try to pull my hands back from Godric, planning to flee to the bedroom behind me. My palms are sweating and I find myself taking shallow breaths fighting hyperventilating.

"I – I don't' know what you're talking about." I deny, they would never force themselves to assess me…right? Godric keeps his grip on my hands, even as I continue to try to tug them out of his grasp. His still calm gaze meets mine as he whispers "Sookie, we can smell your blood".

I close my eyes, and realize with mortification that the small leg stretches I did only moments before, must have aggravated the still rough wounds on my private areas. Steve Newlin had tortured what he could see, but no more, thinking I was a disgusting infected fangbanger he kept his cuts to my arms, chest and legs. Nevil on the other hand, preyed on the most vulnerable area of my past. Learning I had only been with one man – vampire – and had a past of molestation, he used this to both mentally and physically break me. He was trying to take the sexuality out of me, so that I would be an obedient fearful princess who would marry whoever, and sleep with whoever, to carry on the Brigant line.

I gagged just thinking of it. Tears welled in my eyes, as the movements further aggravated my lower body, and I quickly put a hand to my mouth. Eric, at vampire speed, grabbed a trash bin from the bedroom, and was back just in time to see me upheave all the healthy snacks I had consumed since waking. He held my hair, as I began to sob again, and scooped my up gingerly. He floated us to the bathroom I had found earlier and gently sat me down on the edge of the tub.

Kneeling in front of me, he ran his hands over my still disgusting hair, and wiped my tears. His forehead rested against mine as he softly shushed my tears.

"I'm so tired of being a mess" I whisper to him, embracing the warmth that is surrounding me with Eric so close. His big hands frame my face, still wiping away errant tears, as he leans in to kiss my cheeks and collect a few more.

"You are not a mess" he says, earning a scoff from me. He pulls his forehead back and begins to talk more seriously. "Let me heal you".

I open my eyes slowly, looking at this gorgeous vampire that I once considered a future with. I realized that I still wanted that future. But I would not be a whimpering victim by his side. I felt tears well in my eyes as I shook my head. He growled slightly, assuming it was just my stubbornness that made me reject him.

I met his eyes and whispered "I can't let you see me like that", he grumbles a bit, and gears up to argue with me, but I placed a soft hand over his lips and kissed him soflty. "Please. Understand". I pleaded with my watery eyes, and saw him soften.

Then I heard words leave my mouth I never thought I would ever say..

"Can you call Pam?"


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: So this is a bit of bonding between Sookie and Pam. We learn a bit more about what Nevil actually did to Sookie the last time he punished her. Nothing too gory, but it is a bit specific. We also learn about Pam's history (which I improvised based on my knowledge of some of her past in TB). There will be LEMONS in the next chapter, hoping for tomorrow.**  
 **Thanks for reading!** _  
_

* * *

 _LAST TIME…_

 _I met his eyes and whisper "I can't let you see me like that", I hear him grumble a bit, and gear up to argue with me, but I placed a soft hand over his lips before kissing him softly. "Please. Understand". I pleaded with my watery eyes, and saw him soften slightly._

 _Then I heard words leave my mouth I never thought I would ever say.._

 _"Can you call Pam?"_

* * *

SPOV

Eric remained kneeling between my legs, regarding me with an almost hurt expression. After a few moments of silent staring, he nods, and starts to rise. My hand shot out of its own accord, grabbing his wrist. He looks down at me, larger than usual with his impressive height. I whisper an apology, I feel like I have let him down. I am this broken form of a woman, and he would only want supermodels. I'm a nuisance in his life right now and I hate it.

He continues to stare at me, as tears silently continue to fall down my face. Eventually, he disentangles from my soft grasp, and closes the bathroom door with a soft click behind him.

Left on my own for the first time in I can't remember how long, I swing my legs into the large tub behind me. It is of course large enough to fit a certain 6'3 Viking, and is surrounded my lavish tile. There is a closed glass shower in the corner immediately next to it, which I think may be better in order to truly wash my hair but I find I don't have the energy. I move to sit down in the middle of the tub, wincing as I feel more of my lower wounds open with the movement. I slightly bend my knees, and lean my head against the back of the tub, trying to think of how to get back to myself.

I must have dozed off, because next I heard a knock at the bathroom door. I took a deep breath and murmured "come in", knowing it was going to be a certain sassy protégé on the other side.

She opened the door slowly, entered, and closed it behind her, leaning against it for a moment before she addressed me.

"Well if it isn't my favourite sugar plum" she said, her voice lacking the certain edge and sarcasm it usually drips with. I wanted to laugh, but I felt it would just make my cry again. I simply put my head in my hands and murmured a slightly coherent greeting. Pam continued as if she hadn't disturbed me.

"Must say, this wasn't the greeting I was expectin'. Not that I was expectin' much" she cocked a leg out, and put her hand on her hip. I still didn't react, not knowing where to start or how to get this process going. She must have scented the tears that had started again, and I heard the door open and close again before she reached the edge of the tub and sat down. I heard the clink of glass and realized she had run out at vamp speed and grabbed a vodka bottle and sat it down on the lip of the tub.

"Wh-what's that for?" I ask, peeking my head out from my hands. Pam unscrews the lid, and poors a hefty amount into a tumbler with ice in her waiting hand. She uncharacteristically sighs, hands me the drink, which I accepted awkwardly (trying not to move my lower body).

"I'm going to ask you what happened" she says bluntly. My hands start trembling again, becoming clamy quickly. She continues on, seemingly not noticing my reaction "I imagine you have asked to see me instead of your mate because you are afraid of how he will see you, should he see your injuries."

I whipped my head up at the term mate. I felt like a fish gawking on dry land, but eventually nod slightly and Pam continues.

"I can understand that notion, hard as that may be for you to believe." She crosses her legs, and folds her hands in her lap, playing with her nails as she continues speaking. "However, this assumption of Eric is incorrect. He has seen me, and I him, in extremely vulnerable states, and that has only strengthened our bond." She takes another deep sigh and begins.

"Before I was turned, I was a very rebellious lady of my time. I did not enjoy the gender roles that were expected of me, and much to the displeasure of my parents, greatly enjoyed promiscuity." She smirks at the memory.

"When I was your age, I spent much of my time breaking engagements and men's hearts." At this remark she does let out a fangy grin, turning her face over her shoulder in my direction. "One night, I had snuck out of my parent's home to meet a gentleman who I was in relations with. He wanted me to give him my virtue, and though we had flirted with the line of everything but, I did not want to cross that line. It would mean the difference of my inheritance, should my parents find out." She turns back to facing the door, away from me "That night, he apparently did not want to hear no. We had been fooling around outside in a nearby park, when I made to leave him and return home. I had kissed him goodbye, but when I turned to leave, he attacked me." She pauses again, takes a moment, and continues in a more neautral tone "He beat me, raped me, and then left me in the street to die."

She drops her gaze to the floor for only a moment before she seems to compose herself. "That was how Eric found me". With this statement she turns to face me again, as I take a large swallow of the now frosty alcohol in my glass.

"That's terrible" I whisper. She simply nods.

"I woke up vampire, next to Eric, with a mind full of vengeance and a heart full of shame. For Eric to find me in such a state, and see strength in me, was a very hard thing for me to understand. But that is what he saw. He told me the night I rose that he selected me to be his child not because he pitied my death, but because he knew the strength was what caused it. For a woman to say no to a man and deny him that power was unheard of. More so, I would never conform. I did not apologize and I did not give in." She turns more fully towards me, her legs now stretched out along the lip of tile on top the tub. "Even in my death, I fought that little snake with everything I had, and Eric could see that… I did not rise full of shame because I regretted what I had been doing or how I had been living. I was full of shame because I was attracted to him, and for him to see such intimate parts of me so …. vandalized… was hard to recover from. It was my womanhood."

I take another large swallow, she was most certainly hitting the nail on the head for me.

"But Eric is not the typical vampire, and he was not the typical man. He heard my tale, and related it to his own, and instead of pitying me, he trained me. He even assisted me in my revenge, and is a large reason why I have the strength I do today."

Pam sat staring at me, as I let her story sink in. She had been victimized like me, and had found strength from it. All with the help of Eric. That stunned me. He is such a perfect specimen, like he was crafted by the Gods, I struggled with the idea of being enough for him before I was kidnapped (twice) and tortured. Now I just felt like damaged goods. But I knew I would never not feel damaged if I did not start to heal.

I knew it was my turn to share, so I took another large gulp of liquid courage, and dove head first.

"I kissed Eric the night I was kidnapped, and gave him my blood. Did you know that?" I ask, I know not the right way to start, but it had merit. Pam nods.

"I watched him suffer the pain you experienced and was convinced it was witchcraft. For you to have such a connection after one exchange, not even a mutual exchange, is unheard of". It was my turn to nod as I continued.

"I had come to him seeking protection, but I had come to him in a position of power. As an equal force to be reckoned with, and I was demeaned so profusely after that, I can barely remember that person. I left with my head held high, excited that I may actually have my chance with this warrior that seemed to be so interested with me." I let out a strangled chuckle. "When I got home, Bill was waiting for me."

Pam growls at that.

"I had broken up with him. I had rescinded his invitation, and when I got home he seemed to realize that I had also kissed Eric. He attacked me." Pam's fangs elongate as she hisses. "When I woke up I was in a cellar, where Steve Newlin tortured me. He was in partnership with other vampires who wanted to bottle my blood to sell to the highest bidder."

Pam drops her legs and sits up straight as she leans towards me and asks "Steve Newlin? You're sure it was him? Not any other?"

I let out another sardonic chuckle and nod "He was pretty proud of himself, you know how he likes to talk all high and mighty, he was going on and on about himself as he tortured me. Pulled my fingers out of their sockets, and sliced me up to drain my blood for profit" Pam seemed to digest this, and waved her hands for me to continue.

"When he had tortured me enough that I was almost dead, he left and I fell into this dream.. I think. I met my great-grandfather in it, who popped to me, killed Steve and took me to Faery." I paused, taking another swallow. I thought the first part of my kidnapping had been bad, but the false sense of security I had gathered in Faery had made the second bought of torture more personal.

"Niall" Pam supplies. "We heard about a year after your disappearance, that you were working with him as a Consultant." She raises an eyebrow. "He said it was of your own freewill"

I nod again, "It was…. At the beginning." I set my now empty glass on the side of the tub, next to Pam, and she quickly refilled it. At my own raised eyebrow she said "You will thank me when you continue". I had to smirk at that, because in that moment Pam and I seemed like sisters or even friends. When you are sitting around at a slumber party, and about to tell your most humiliating first kiss story.

This was such a darker story though.

"I had learned more of my powers, and Niall had been pleased. He started asking me to sit in on consultant meetings, to read the intent and thoughts of his business associates. He wanted to meet with many princes and businessmen of Fae and various Demons because he wanted to assess any threats to war, and the longevity of his kingdom. It was great practice for me, and for the first month I enjoyed it. But when these meetings started to become dinner meetings, I quickly realized they were steering towards arranged marriage proposals"

I grabbed the now full glass again then. Pam just smirked, and shot me another raised "I told you so" eyebrow. I grumbled, not quite ready to laugh about the situation yet.

"After these meetings, he would send the suitor to my room. He was expected to lay with me in the hopes of impregnating me to continue the Brigant line. Niall wanted to have me pregnant first to ensure I was even able to carry a Fae child before he gave me any more status within his kingdom." I started to feel the fire in my veins at this point, and I thought I may end up looking like those cartoon characters when steam comes out their ears. But remembering the outcome of those suitor meetings made me smile devilishly.

"I killed 3 of them before I started receiving punishment" I said and Pam snickers with me.  
"Perhaps you have more fire than I gave you credit for" she says, crossing her legs again and leaning towards me in interest. "C'mon Sugar Plum, time for the real stuff." She finished softly.

"When I started to become too vocal with my refusals, Niall punished me to stay silent. He then started to punish me in the hopes that I would understand that his will was happening regardless of my wishes. He –"Another large swallow. "He sent his henchmen Nevil to punish me. He wanted to break me. After a while that statistic FUCK actually thought I was rejecting the others because I wanted him."

The tears had begun again, and I was shaking terribly. I set my glass down so I didn't drop it. "He specifically liked to cut and burn, and wanted to make sure I was of no use to any man ever again" I took a deep breath before I told her the real reason I wanted to tell this to her and not Eric.

"My last punishment, he attacked me with his thoughts while he attacked my body. He took a scalpel to my – my … me, and branded it with his initials. He made sure no one would ever want me again." At that point I lost it, I began hyperventilating as I sobbed. Gasping for air as snot started to drip down my face. I threw my head in my hands and continued my misery.

I cried for the girl I felt I had lost. I cried for the love I thought I will never have a chance at. I cried because I was crying, In front of PAM no less, who I was pretty sure never really liked me to begin with.

Just as that last thought crept into my misery-filled mind, Pam surprised me again. She crept into the tub behind me, careful not to shuffle me, and wrapped her arms around my chest. Tucking my head back against her shoulder she hugged me with a fierce grip, but not to the point of pain. One hand holding me against my forehead, and one locked securely around my waist.

"Sookie" she whispered, rocking me slightly side to side, as she wiped my hair from my face. She reached over and grabbed a washcloth from the supplies I hadn't noticed beside the tub and began to wipe my face softly. "That is not true." She whispers. "That will never be true."

"Your body is only a piece of you. He could never take what is truly you." I continued to sob, and she continued to hold me. After a few moments my sobbing slowed and Pam spoke again.

"That monster tried to take your strength, and you survived. You escaped. You will never be the same girl you were before, but you will become stronger because of this." She pauses. "But Sookie, you need to heal."

I take a sharp gasp, hiding my face in my hands once again. "I know." I whisper. "I just don't know how."

I should have known that the real Pam was still in there somewhere, as she responded with "I would be happy to assist you with that" and I had to let out the chuckle then. It sounded so much like Eric I couldn't take her seriously, regardless of the fact I knew she was entirely serious.

"Seriously Pam. What should I do? I don't know if I can let anyone see that … not even Ludwig….I'm ashamed." I closed my eyes as I said it. She had once been in my state, but her transition to vampire had obviously saved her the uncomfortable healing process I was currently enduring.

"You have some options" Pam replies, back to her serious somber tone. I looked over my shoulder to meet her eyes, and she sighs "You may not like any of them, but hear me out" I nod.

"You may let Ludwig look at you, and she will give you medication and likely something topical for it. Perhaps some over the counter PTSD prescription as well. It would help calm you." She glances at me as I shake my head with a solid "no".

"You may suffer through the human healing process, and hope that your body will be able to heal sufficiently with the topical human aids, such as antibacterial ointments, and bandages." I scrunched my face at the thought of even trying that, and vetoed it just as quickly.

"Your only other option would be applying vampire blood and saliva to the skin directly." I closed my eyes. I knew that was coming… but at least I had heard all of my options.

"He won't want me Pam" I stutter out, and her arms tighten fractionally.

"He has always wanted you Sookie" she whispers in my hair, before filling my glass again and handing it to me, before she gently removes herself from the tub.

"Let him know when you are ready" she says, giving me a genuine smile, before she leaves the room completely.


	15. Chapter 15

_**AN: Hello again! Thank you to all who are still sticking around! I appreciate every single one of you! Sorry it took me longer to update this chapter, it is my first mature scene and after reading many (okay LOTS) I wanted to make sure it was worth the wait. As most of you have probably noticed, I've switched to sticking in Sookie's point of view for the majority now. My brain was starting to hurt switching around in the beginning. There is brief translation at the bottom, I don't speak Swedish or Norse so apologies if they are terribly wrong.**_

 _ **NSFW**_ _ **No beta, so all my mistakes are my own. I own nothing!**_

 _ **Reviews are love!**_

 _LAST TIME_

 _"Your only other option would be applying vampire blood and saliva to the skin directly." I closed my eyes. I knew that was coming… but at least I had heard all of my options._

 _"He won't want me Pam" I stutter out, and her arms tighten fractionally._

 _"He has always wanted you Sookie" she whispers in my hair, before filling my glass again and handing it to me, before she gently removes herself from the tub._

 _"Let him know when you are ready" she says, giving me a genuine smile, before she leaves the room completely._

• • •

I sat in the tub for a while longer, and drank the rest of the vodka in my (rather large) tumbler. I could feel the burn and tingle in my skin and it did a wonderful job numbing other areas. I contemplated and procrastinated before I finally raised my head from where it had been resting on top of my arms and knees (still sitting in a ball in the tub). I sighed, poored another small shot, gulped it back, and set the glass to the side. I braced my arms on either side of the tub, and slowly, oh so slowly, raised my body to standing.

I sat down on the edge of the tub again, and swung my legs over in one motion (so I didn't have to try and hurdle one legs at a time and risk more uncomfortable stretching). I took a deep breath, and slowly pushed myself standing again.

"You're a Stackhouse." I told myself, eyes closed, in a harsh whisper. "Stackhouse's are strong".

With a firm nod to myself, I made my way out of the bathroom and towards the kitchen where all three vampires were sitting at the table. They all turned to look at me, concerned expressions still marring their faces.

Not sure where to begin, we stared at each other for a few awkward seconds before I realized I was in full control. I opened my mouth, and shut it, trying to find the words….trying to figure out WHO I was going to ask WHAT. I mean, I needed blood and saliva to heal…any of these three could provide that in a vile but I wasn't sure I could apply it myself. Enduring the pain was one thing, but the scars and wounds and the healing process was a constant reminder of that experience, and I couldn't look down without returning to that dark dungeon with Nevil and reliving every cut all over again.

I glanced at Pam.

She has been where I am right now. She was healed. She could apply it and we'd never speak of it again.

But I didn't feel comfortable with that. I'm not homophobic whatsoever, but it was a different kind of intimacy level. Pam and I have known each other for a while, but I would say it's a tense relationship.

I glanced at Godric.

He is pretty much a complete stranger. We've had very few interactions and I was never one to become that intimate with strangers. I didn't feel like I could cross that line with him either.

Finally, I glanced at Eric. My beautiful Viking.

I opened and closed my mouth again, before Godric came to my rescue.

"Pamela and I will be leaving for the evening" I looked back to him. He had a comforting smile on his lips, and an understanding warmth in his eyes. "We will feed and then return to my house before we depart tomorrow." I realized that would leave me alone with Eric. I nodded slightly and Godric continued.

"Thalia will be meeting us at the air strip, as will you and Eric. We will arrive just before dusk, our coffins will be loaded, and halfway through the flight will all join you in the cabin Sookie." I felt the confused look on my face, and he elaborated. "You will be training in Sweden". I nodded again.

A small of part of me may also have done a small happy dance on the inside. It would be my first time on a plane. Out of the country. To the native land of a vampire I realized I care very much about. I continued nodding and Godric and Pam stood.

Pam met my gaze, and gave me a small nod of her own. It seemed to be one of strength, a "go get him" kind of glance before they both vamped quickly to the front of the small underground lair. I heard the shifting of large concrete walls, and some punch pads before the large doors closed again with a concluding _ZIP_.

I wanted to fidget. I would normally shift foot to foot, but I was aware that would just aggravate my wounds again. Starting to feel the slight buzz from all that vodka, I made my way closer to the table and Eric casting my gaze downwards. Eric reached for my hand, and we slowly walked towards his resting chambers. He quickly entered a code, and a finger scan, before the door opened, and he waved my through ahead of him.

The room was nothing like I expected. All of the walls were a stark white, except the wall directly behind the bed. It was a beautiful arctic blue that reminded me of the colour of his eyes. The furniture was all natural oak wood, with a large headboard attached to the four poster bed. The sheets and large comforter were a warm cream with an abundance of pillows. White fur rugs were on either side of the bed, and in front of the additional fire place and seating area close to the entrance. It reminded me of snow in winter and an arctic playground. Very true to his heritage. It made me smile.

He let me walk all the way into the room, until I stopped in front of the large trunk at the foot of the King bed. My back to his chest, his hands came to rub the side of my arms. He quietly whispered that he was going to move me, and picked me up bridal style. My arms wrapped around his neck, and I gasped, the warmth of the alcohol unfortunately not completely numbing me. I closed my eyes as tears pricked them, and nuzzled into his neck.

"I will not hurt you" he said, and it pulled on my heart strings.

He laid me down on my back in the middle of the bed, and laid down beside me.

"Pam mentioned the options she gave you" he said, staring deep into my eyes. I nodded and he must have sensed my hesitation. His large right hand came to caress the side of my face as I closed my eyes. A tear escaped and fell down onto his large knuckles.

"I don't know if I can do this" I release on a sigh, and paused. I open my eyes and meet his gaze "you will see me differently". I felt like a whimpering child, but I couldn't' control my vulnerability. My wounds were gaping from all that I had endured. Literally and metaphorically. But I didn't know how to heal without potentially breaking myself more in the process.

"I will never force you" Eric replies, leaning forwards to rest his forehead against mine as he had done before. His right hand continued to stroke the side of my face and hair, and we lay sideways cuddling for a long while before Eric spoke again.

"There are some things I wished to ask you about in terms of our bond" he hedged. I made a non-committal sound, that I hoped was an urge for him to continue. "We have not had a natural bond from the beginning…. But I have enjoyed it." I opened my eyes again. "You have literally lit up my undead existence in so many ways. These past years without you have been so trying. I am relieved to have you this close. In my arms of all things." He closes his eyes again "I will wait until you are ready. But I would like you to have my blood as it should have happened the first time. What I should have said back in Dallas." I open my eyes and Eric rolls on top of me. His forearms brace his weight on either side of my head, and one of his knees finds space between mine, still not making any more contact physically.

"I want to exchange with you Sookie. I want to start a bond. A true bond... To make you mine" as he spoke one of his hands played with my hair, and his gaze penetrates me to my very core. I can't help the smile that lands on my lips. For the first time, that M-word does not sound too bad.

The overwhelming vulnerability in me forces me to ask the next question. "For how long?"

My gaze searches his face for a reaction. Anger? Hurt? Anything. Eric maintains his poker face, and does not reply. He leans in further and his lips caress mine. Soft and gentle, I feel his tongue trace my bottom lip, not begging entrance, but merely savoring my taste. I feel a heat begin to build that has nothing to do with the alcohol, and he pulls back to rest our noses together. He gives my Eskimo kisses, rubbing our noses together, up and down, then side to side.

When we meet each other's eyes again, I see something I had never seen in Eric before. A youthful caring look that reminds me of when I was a kid. I used to love to dance in the rain, because the smile it would leave on my face would last days. Gran always said she could see the smile in my eyes.

That was the look Eric was giving me. He caresses my nose one more time as he whispers " _forever_ " and dives back into my lips.

This kiss is much more demanding, as he grabs my top lip with need, sucking and nibbling on it as a wanton moan escapes me. Needing no further invitation, Eric expertly switches lips and then slips his tongue into my mouth. Massaging his tongue with mine slowly, he begins to warm me further.

I want to shift my legs wider, so he can settle both of his knees between them but I know it will hurt. But I know I want this.

I want him.

I want forever.

I bring both my hands to either side of his face and pull back. "Really?" I ask. Yes, it's that whiny child again. But I need the reassurance. I need the confirmation that he will still want me. He won't get tired of me. He's not just saying this to get what he wants now, and retract it later.

But as Eric meets my eyes again he nods and I hear the catch in his voice as he admits "My undead life is not the same without you. I have spent the last three years searching for you, and I cannot bare the thought of not having you like this for every night I am able… Please" he begs "be my bonded Sookie. I promise I will protect you with all that I am, and all that I can be, and I will _never_ let you suffer this kind of pain again. We will be warriors. Together".

I hold his gaze, seeing the loyalty and honesty of a 1000 year old Viking in his words, and barely whisper _yes_ before his lips attack mine again. His lips are bruising and the heat is building in a part of my lower abdomen I was afraid I would never feel again. It stirs the fire in me that builds my confidence.

Eric breaks away and leans to his bedside, opening a drawer to pull out a small silver dagger. He hands it to me and begins kissing down my neck. His talented lips nip at the space just behind my ear, and another moan falls from my lips. He continues his trail further down my neck and begins to suck my shoulder and collarbone.

A constant chant of "yes" is building in my mind and after a slight hesitation I start reciprocating in kind. One hand holding the dagger carefully against the wall of his shoulder blade, the other grasping the back of his neck. Tangling my hand through the gorgeous locks of his hair, massaging the skin with my fingernails. Eric beings to kiss his way back up to my neck, licking from the top of my shoulder to the back of my ear. I was about to pull back when he softly blows on the wet skin, and I feel goosebumps break out with the lovely chill. I shiver and moan again, loving the reverence he is treating my body with.

Spurring me on, I reach up to bite his neck with my dull teeth and hear him growl in pleasure. Encouraging my bravery, I slowly bring the dagger from where it was resting in my hand against his back to the gap in his t-shirt at his neck. Feeling my movement, he leans back and strips off his t-shirt like a GQ model on a runway. He moves back to me as his fangs snap down, looking like such a predator. But the heat in his gaze is not that one of threatening power, but of overwhelming need. He grabs my hand still holding the dagger and brings it to his neck, as he resumes his previous position.

I slice into the marble of his skin, low on his neck above his collarbone. Before I latch on I meet his eyes, it is his turn to let out a pleasured _yes_ just as my lips make contact.

Fireworks. I take my first swallow and I feel our small tie erupt in pleasure. Moments later I feel Eric sink his fangs into my neck and I cry out in ecstasy. He groans against me, and begins to take very slow and careful sips. After my first mouthful, our pulls become synced, and so do our moans.

After three swallows, I feel the tingling pressure in my abdomen stretch, reaching out for more. My hips start to come off of the mattress, still not touching Eric's strong body. One more swallow, and we both detangle our lips as we cry out.

Eric moves his knee from between mine to the other side of my hips, straddling me as he lays his head on the pillow next to my neck. I am panting and shaking slightly, the high from our combined finish leaving pleasant tingles running through my body.

Eric waits another moment before his hands start to explore again. I'm happy to let him do as he pleases, the connection we have created humming with emotions. _Relief. Joy. Lust_. The connection is calming my over-active brain and the slight panic I've been fighting at our close proximity.

His hands start their exploration at my arms, running from my shoulders across my chest and collarbone. My eyes snapped open and I suck in a harsh breath. The motion was the same that Steve Newlin had used with a surgical scalpel. Hearing my gasp, Eric quickly adds his lips. Leading with his nose, he traces small patterns across the same area, dropping pecks and open mouth kisses across the same area. I start to relax again, as his mouth moves to the tops of my breasts. His nose traces the swell of my left breast, as I feel his long fingers tickle the edge of my Fangtasia t-shirt/dress.

I feel his hands pause, and I meet his eyes that are now looking up at me from the valley of my breasts. I smile shyly, and feel his hands gather the fabric on either side of my hips and pull it upwards. I do a half sit up and raise my arms over my head as he helps the garment off of me, leaving me bare in tattered white lace booty shorts. His right hand comes to grasp the back of my head, as he lowers us back down to the bed. My head hits the pillow and his hands begin exploring again.

His right hand drags softly from my neck down to my breast, as his mouth dips with it. His left comes to cup my other breast, as he lifts and grabs them, softly squeezing them and working my nipples into pleasurable points. He starts to move further down my body, and the tingles in my body continue to intensify. His talented mouth latches onto my nipple and my hips lift off the mattress again, seeking friction I'm not quite ready for.

Eric lets out a deep, baritone chuckle "mmm yes, you are mine, my Sookie". It is in such a tone of worship, it made me feel like a goddess. A goddess his hands have dedicated to give pleasure to indefinitely. His mouth continues to suck and bite my hardened nipple as his right hand continues to massage and squeeze. His left comes down to snap the small underwear on me and I feel my nerves return. He seems to notice and his voice settles me, he continues to murmur compliments in both English and what I assume is Old Norse.

Eric slows, lifting his head to see me staring at the ceiling, and switches to my other breast. He drags his fangs over my other nipple and another moan escapes. As his fingers play with the skin at my hip, where my underwear was previously resting. He does not make any immediate move to touch anywhere closer to the apex of my thighs, and continues to lavish my nipple with the most pleasurable attention. His mouth travels further down my chest, to my sternum and he licks and sucks down my abdomen.

A growl emits from him, and I close my eyes as I realize he is seeing the many scars now scattering my body. "He will pay. _Jag kommer aldrig att låta en annan mar din vackra hud. Jag kommer att skydda dig för alltid, mitt ljus_ " he whispers to my stomach, as he continues to lick every scar in sight, I fell the wetness of his saliva, and blood. The warmth and tingling on my skin furthers my lust and anticipation, but knowing he is nearing the worst of my wounds has my hands scrunched into fists in the sheets.

Finished with my abdomen, Eric leans back and runs his fingertips up the sides of my body, from the top of my thighs to just underneath my breasts. Tickling. The softest touches, leaving behind more goosebumps and effectively clearing my mind of thoughts.

I feel his legs shift again as his hands take one last trip down my legs and I know he has reached the worst. Tears prick my eyes, as I send a silent prayer hoping this really won't change us, and that it won't hurt. Not knowing the level of pain, if any, is what has my anxiety climbing.

I hear him softly shush me "It's okay Sookie. I will not hurt you. I will stop at any time you are uncomfortable". He speaks in a low soft tone, and I find myself trusting him. I am in control of this situation... I think.

"I want this Eric. Just _please_ – be gentle" I stutter to ask it, but as his face now reaches the top of my pelvic bone I know he has seen all of my destroyed flesh. His hands continue to soothe my skin on the sides of my hips, and the tingles distract from the initial contact of his cool lips on the marred flesh. I flinched, and fought the urge to clamp my legs closed. A whimper of pain escapes me before I feel the cool rush of blood, as he must have made a very large gash in his tongue. I'm surprised to hear him groaning in pleasure as he lathers my wounds in his blood and saliva. He starts on the top of my pelvis, kissing and caressing my entire pelvis area, before I feel him settle his body between my legs, and his arm wrapped around my hips.

"I am going to work on your inner wounds mitt ljus" he whispers, as one of his long fingers comes to his mouth to be punctured, before coating my outer lips in his blood again.

The tingling sensation grows tenfold as he adds his fingers. The anxiety inside me calming and the anticipation of more climbing steadily higher. He glides his finger from the outside of my pelvis, along the junction of my inner thigh, climbing higher to the front of my pelvic bone, then down the other side. His finger dips lower and lower towards my sex as his long finger brushes against my opening. He punctures more of his fingers and brings them back to me, coating my entrance before I feel his cool tongue added.

I let out a soft shriek of pleasure as the cool wet muscle works my walls, to which Eric releases a growl. His tongue laps at my lower lips and he continues to puncture his tongue for more blood to coat the wounds that are quickly healing. I feel myself getting closer and closer to orgasm when his long middle finger enters my channel slowly. His mouth and tongue continue to play with my clit and lips. He strokes inside me once, twice, then removes his finger to slice it from bottom to fingertip against his fang, before returning inside me.

I moan loudly, "Yes Eric, oh that feels so good". My hips are starting to move in time with his ministrations as the tingling warmth of his healing blood consumes me inside and out. Another animalistic growl comes from him when he removes his finger a second time, slices it and his pointer finger, and then returns them both inside me.

It was my undoing. I came hard, my freshly healed inner muscles tightening around his fingers, his talented mouth and tongue licking up every drop. Eric's heat filled eyes watching me with hunger and lust, his chest rumbling deeply in pleasure. As I came down from my high, he removes his fingers and continues to lap at my juices until I am clean, before he crawls up my body and tucks my head into his chest.

Stroking my hair, he wraps a long leg around my hip effectively trapping me in a spider-monkey like hold. He grabs the blankets and throws them over us, and a deep sigh of contentment leaves me as I feel myself drifting towards sleep.

"Thank you" I manage to whisper as my heavy eyelids start to drift close.

"You are mine. Sleep, mitt ljus. I will be here when you wake" he drops a soft kiss on my head just before I was out cold.

TRANSLATION:

 _Jag kommer aldrig att låta en annan mar din vackra hud. Jag kommer att skydda dig för alltid, mitt ljus._ \- I will never let another mar your beautiful skin. I will protect you forever, my light.


	16. Chapter 16

_AN: Hello everyone! THANK YOU SO MUCH for sticking around. I promise I haven't forgotten about this story. I was trying to think of next directions, and have been soul searching for ideas. This chapter is shorter than my usual, and more a touch-point. I am hoping to update this one more frequently, and your reviews help motivate me. I am aiming to have the next chapter up by next week :)_

 _LEMONS to start (NSFW)._

 _xo Lea_

 _LAST TIME_

 _Stroking my hair, he wraps a long leg around my hip effectively trapping me in a spider-monkey like hold. He grabs the blankets and throws them over us, and a deep sigh of contentment leaves me as I feel myself drifting towards sleep._

 _"Thank you" I manage to whisper as my heavy eyelids start to drift close._

 _"You are mine. Sleep, mitt ljus. I will be here when you wake" he drops a soft kiss on my head just before I was out cold._

Cool skin.

Strong hands.

A wet devilish tongue behind my ear.

A moan.

A large frame covering mine, pushing me against the wall.

Hands held securely above my head. Lips sucking on my ear, licking and nipping the skin of my neck. My legs, wrapped around him as he thrusts teasingly into my centre.

"Take me"

A growl.

Movement.

My back comes into contact with silk sheets, and my eyes open. I am in a large red room, laying on a large king bed with black sheets.

My hands are tied to the head board.

Hands start tracing my breasts, my clothes have vanished. He climbs on top of me and spreads my legs with his hands, leaving my centre open for him. His weight is settled back on his heels as he kneels between my dripping wet core. He licks his thumb before playing with my clit. Rubbing in slow torturous circles, he teases me with the head of his large member.

Circling, coating me and him with my juices.

" _Please_ "

He enters me slowly, leaning his body over mine as his head comes to rest by my ear.

"Yes Sookie, Gods you are perfect" he moans. He is moving so slowly, taking my need and anticipation to new heights. I kiss him with abandon. Begging him, but unable to move. I lift my hips trying to nudge him, and rock him to where I need his friction. Finally, nearing my wits end at his slow pace I bite his shoulder as hard as I can, hoping to draw blood. He growls dangerously, hearing the predator behind his passion.

"Greedy, little one" his husky voice half admonishes me, but his thrusts start to pick up speed. I barely broke the skin on my bite, but I continue to moan wantonly and chant out my pleasure as he continues to quicken.

"Yes my Viking. Please, I'm so close" I whisper anxiously. My voice climbs higher with the increase of my passion.

"Yes Sookie, don't stop" his grip on my legs will surely leave bruises but the angle of my hips tilted back gives him perfect access to my G-spot, and I start to see stars. His thrusts are now nearing vampire speed and his fangs graze across the sensitive skin.

"Come for me" he whispers, and plunges his fangs deep into my skin, and my body explodes.

"ERRRRR-"

 _THUMP_

"Woman, you better not leave a mess on those sheets. Stop dreaming of Master and get reading for training"

My rude awakening is thanks to no other than Thailia. I groan as I open my eyes, to find my legs twisted in sheets and my cheek firmly planted on the hardwood floor beside my bed.

 _THUMP_

"WOMAN-"

"Yes, Thalia." I respond, in my clipped authoritative training tone. I know she was moments away from barging in my bedroom door so addressing her in the respective tone indicates to her that I am awake, and ready. I hear her grunt of acknowledgement and her footsteps retreating towards the kitchen.

Thalia and I have been living in Sweden for four months training. As promised, Eric, Pam and Godric escorted me to meet with her, and helped us settle in the penthouse apartment that we now share. There is a dojo, full gym and gun range in the building on the floors below. The first month was the hardest adjustment for me. Physically, I was healed and was happy to immerse myself in training my body to become athletic and strong again. Mentally, my brain was scattered, paranoid and afraid…okay and maybe a little lonely. Ahem – a lot lonely.

Eric and I have remained in contact since I arrived. We speak on the phone daily. Sometimes it is only texts from his throne, and sometimes I have the pleasure of hearing the sexy baritone of his voice. But it is his presence I have missed. I started dreaming about him immediately, and living with an ancient vampire, I quickly learned it was hard to hide that fact from my trainer. She was well aware that Eric had healed me, and that we were in "limbo" of starting a relationship. She happily teased me about my "human emotions" whenever she could. It was only my thirst for vengeance that helped me remain here, and not running back to my Viking's bed indefinitely.

I quickly disentangle myself from the sheets, make my bed, and rinse of the remains of my sexy dream. I have them almost every time I close my eyes but they still leave me feeling … stretched. It's a hard feeling to articulate, but I almost feel as if it is something Eric and I experience together. Sending emotions that turn into live daydreams we both participate in. I knew I was sure to get a phone call tonight, as some aspects of that daydream were sure to stir Eric's fire.

I dress in my usual training gear of tights and a long sleeve dry fit shirt, and running shoes. If Thalia had mentioned starting with fire I would have strapped on some of the weapons I had started to collect. The first being a set of beautiful iron knives that Thalia had gifted me with upon my arrival.

Eric had mentioned that Thalia was a vampires of few words, and often invoked fear by looks alone. She chose to remain in solitude because she had tired of what humans had become. I had chuckled at that, thinking that, that was a very lonely way to live an endless existence. The first month I had drove her crazy. Asking questions, invoking chit chat and every corner, and trying to befriend her. I wanted a therapist, a friend, and a trainer.

Thalia was quick to assess her place. She would make me do wall sits with my sword at arm's length for every minute I was distracted. She would make me do 20 pull ups for every question. My body quickly became toned and functional. I felt strength in it that I had never felt before.

When training, I was to address her as in a tone of respect, which took me at least a week to master. Thalia was from Rome, and was raised by soldiers after her parents had been murdered right in front of her. A tone of respect, she told me, was clear, concise, and strong. There was no waiver, no inclination to meaning, only acceptance of the order, and reverence to the one who demanded it. If you could put a submissive posture but an acknowledgement of an order in a tone, that was what Thalia demanded. I had never been pushed as much as I had with Thalia. We started physical training the first day I arrived, and maintained a daily schedule of ju jitsu, yoga, meditation, fire arms training, sword technique, and most recently … therapy.

Our first four months were focused on my body, but Thalia soon learned that certain touches in combat would entice an emotional response. She knew it was from the trauma I had endured. One day, we were working on hand-to-hand combat with no weapons, when she snuck up behind me with her hands over my mouth. I had reacted on pure instinct, envisioning when I had been kidnapped the same way. I elbowed her and threw myself at her with abandon, earning me a good toss across the room before I finally calmed down.

Thalia had been tip toeing closer to the subject of my imprisonment and torture but had never delved into it. Now she had determined it was the only step hindering me from moving forward in my progress. We would train for 5 or 6 hours as usual, and she would end it with a one-on-one therapy discussion. So as I walked into the kitchen to see Thalia dressed in her comfortable clothes (something very similar to what she would have worn when she was human), I knew that we weren't going to be training the way I had anticipated. She patted the stool next to her at the tall island in our kitchen, and sighed.

I should've known I was in trouble then. But somehow I was still surprised when she passed me a cup of tea and say "tell me how you are feeling".

This was going to be a very different training day indeed.


	17. Chapter 17

**AN:** GUYS. Have I told you you're amazing?! Seriously, cannot thank you enough for everyone who is reading. Those who have just stumbled across the story, and those who have been here from Day 1, you're all AMAZING. I appreciate y'all, and am so happy you're enjoying this little read! This is another filler chapter ( _sorrryyyy_ ) but there WILL be some serious lemons in the near future. Keep your reviews and suggestions comin :)

Therapy.

It was the first part of my training I was loathe to admit I truly sucked at.

I had zero patience for it. I knew I asked for it, and I definitely knew I needed it, but I hated how it felt like I never made progress. Thalia would mention one thing, or poke a specific spot, and all my part traumas would come right back as if I was reliving them for the first time all over again.

I didn't want bunny hugs and whispered lullaby's but sometimes a girl just wants to be cooed at and told it'll all be okay. Even if it may be a bold-faced lie. I had to appreciate that about Thalia though. She was training me as she had been trained. In her hardest and darkest times, she was told to harbour her emotions to propel her forward, and to allow the pain and heartache to motivate her path to success.

And a **lot** of destruction in her case.

In the four months we had been in Sweden, I had learned how to wield a sword twice my size, fire automatic weapons, multiple martial arts take downs, and control my light at will. My light was very much associated to my energy (which I knew, and had now experimented with), and Thalia quickly noticed food, water intake and meditation effected the strength and duration of my light. In my first two months I greatly enjoyed throwing fireballs and the occasional blast, where I could send a wave of energy out from me, as I had done during my escape from Fairy. I was never one for cartoons, but it made me feel like that Dragon Ball Z character.

During my time, I explored Sweden somewhat. Being away from home, and in such a different part of Europe was exhilarating for me. Thalia appeased me by taking me to some tourist attractions, and the occasional restaurant, but I found that the more people I was around, the higher my anxiety became. I was fighting my own mind and the thoughts surrounding me. If my shields slipped, they would crash, plummeting me into panic and worry that this weakness would allow me to be taken again.

I entirely understood why Thalia had instigated regular therapy sessions. I knew it was a part of the deal I had requested. I also realized that this was likely one of the last stages of my training before I could return home to a more (dare I say) "normal" atmosphere. She was testing my mental state, as well as my emotional acceptance of what I had learned and what I still needed to overcome. She had

So as I sat down at the kitchen island to hear Thalia had cancelled our training for that evening (I switched to vampire hours quite early after arriving, for obvious reasons), I was both hesitant but determined. If I could communicate to Thalia that I was stable enough to continue training, and return home, I could start planning my vengeance. My training would never stop from now on, but it could adapt to my home setting, wherever I chose that to be.

Shreveport had held interest as of late (shocker). The thought of returning to Eric had my insides warming and my brain planning how our conversation would go later. Thalia's barking call returned me to my current setting.

"Yes _Kyrios_ " I met her eyes, then bowed my head immediately. This showed her I understood my mistake of not keeping my attention focused on her, and demonstrated my willingness to obey. The first week of my arrival, Thalia had taught me some of what she had learned in her human years. I had learned in bits and pieces her background in hints she would drop. The term I called her was one she used in her training, her mentor was a strong warrior who thrived in the year 250. She had been turned around the age of 15, after her royal parents were killed in a great war. After witnessing their deaths, a soldier took her under his wing, having been a victim of war himself. She thrived under his tutelage and maintains his practices ever in the thousands of years she has been vampire.

" _Tell me_ how you are _feeling_ " she added emphasis to the words she had literally just asked before I reverted to my mental wandering. I sighed, she quirked her eyebrow (it was another "human trait" of mine she hated), and I quickly cleared my throat and answered in my training tone.

"I am rested and eager to train". If I thought Thalia was a vampire who would roll her eyes, she surely would have done so now.

"Sookie" my eyes snapped to hers as she used my name, a rare occurrence with her, and told me she really meant business. "Tell me how you are feeling about your training. Do you feel you have learned all there is to master?"

I reflected on her questions. She had taught me as a warrior that not knowing your weaknesses is providing yourself a death sentence. _Know your weakness, master it, so when your enemy finds it, it will not kill you._ She would tell me this regularly. I think it was a summary of the _Art of War_. Or perhaps The Art of War was a summary of Thalia…. Equally likely.

"I've learned so much from you Thalia. Physically I feel that I have mastered our training, but will maintain our routine to further my strength and improvement. I still feel … conflicted … about the trauma. I am scared and paranoid in public, I find myself constantly questioning if I could be taken at any moment. I don't want to live in fear mentally even if I am prepared for an attack physically." She nodded and we sat in silence, sipping our beverages before she finally asked me another question.

"What is your biggest fear?"

It was asked in casual and light tone but I thought I recognized an underlying test.

"Inadequacy" I reply.

Thalia shakes her head. "No child, this is not a question for the warrior in training. This is a question for the woman in pieces".

She looks up and meets my eyes, now hazing over in a confused worry. It felt like a punch in the gut. She holds my gaze for a few moments, and then repeats her question more softly.

" _What_ is your biggest _fear_ Sookie?"

I take a deep breath and center myself, thinking of the calming techniques I have learned in my meditation. I could personify the answer with one, or many names, but that is not what I am truly fearful of. It is another moment before I answer.

"Not being in control". I raise my eyes to her to see the slight raise of her eyebrows, before she waves her hand at me and says "Please elaborate".

I fold my hands on the island in front of me softly.

"I can answer that question with many names, and many experiences that I fear, but they can all be summarized to the same theme. I was kidnapped against my will, I bled without my consent, and I was molested mentally and physically against my wishes. I do not need a name to summarize those attacks. I fear losing control of my will, control of my life, and control of emotional wellbeing."

Thalia nods. "That is a good answer, child… Now tell me, what do you _want_ most?" She pushes her mug slightly away, and folds her hands like mine.

I fidget, a habit I had worked hard to break when we had begun training. Thalia said it provoked further distractions. But as I analyze my true wants right now I have two things equally tugging at me. So I sigh and respond "I do not know".

Thalia shakes her head and shocks me by putting one of her hands on my own. She has never touched me so personally before. We have sparred and fought against each other, but she has never verged the line of – well intimacy. Even if this was much more of a sisterly gesture.

"Sookie, I see that you are driven by your heart and your head. Your heart is bruised and still bleeding, and your head is finding ways to stop it from happening again. You train to attack your tormentors, and for that I give you my respect. We are similar that way. But you cannot attack when you are not fully healed." I had cast my gaze to the table upon her intimate act, and now shyly met her eyes again.

"I have trained you in all you need - for now. I believe your heart must heal, and that can only be done with those that make you feel safe. Do you know those people?" I did not hesitate with my yes.

"Then …. It is time to go home"

I feel my heart sing at her decision, and nod my head. I place my other hand on top of hers, and gave her a nod.

"Thank you Thalia" I whisper reverently. "I am in your debt"

She shakes her head sternly. "I will be by your side when you seek vengeance that is the only payment I require".

It was not a question but a statement. Thalia did not need the details of my trauma. She did not need descriptions. She understood pain. She urged me back towards my room and gave me a smirk that rivaled Eric's.

"Go tell the Master" I bounce out of my chair and head to my room to call Eric. Thalia provides a non-traceable phone every few weeks, and I grabbed it from my drawer. I dial the numbers quickly, and try not to bounce excitedly as it connects.

"If you are hoping to further distract me this evening I am afraid I will have to return your call … _later_ " I did not miss the sin dripping from the last word in his lust filled voice.

"I wouldn't dare take you away from your duties. I only wish to discuss the conference"

Even though the line was secured, we never talked personal details. No names, just high level information usually (are you ok, do you need anything, etc.).

Conference was the word we had agreed meant _home_ , so I knew the long pause I heard was pregnant with emotion.

"Have the details been approved?" Meaning, does Thalia know?

"Yes, encouraged immediately" Meaning, she suggested it.

Another long pause had my insides squirming. I loved these calls but they were always hard. The first time we had spoken I had almost spilled every detail about my training and how grateful I was that Godric and Eric had sent me here. I was a kid in a candy store who wanted to rave about her first vacation and every tid bit I had learned. I had gotten two rushed sentences out before Thalia broke through my door and crushed the phone, before dragging me to train, screaming the whole way.

I spent two hours sparring with her, and another in mediation, before she asked me what I had done wrong. The lesson was never to assume things are secure unless they are your _home_ , even then, prepare for the worst.

Assuming you are safe is the worst thing you can do.

As that light bulb hit home I had a few self-loathing moments, understanding how naive I had been, and likely why I had been so easily taken. My Gran's home was always safe, yet I had been attacked by my ex-vampire boyfriend, kidnapped and let's not forget the fairy portal that lay right next door. Assuming that ground was safe, was the worst assumption I could have made, it's likely Niall had been spying on me for years … and who knows who else after Bill was involved.

The sound of a husky baritone voice broke me out of my internal musings.

"Understood. We will confirm reception" another long pause had my insides squirming before he added "We look forward to it".

 _Understatement of the year._


	18. Chapter 18

AN: *peeks out from under desk* still with me out there?

I am SO SO SO sorry for the delay in this update, I've been going through a funk. Writing was stressing me out, and so was not really having directions for this. THANK YOU for sticking with me! I truly appreciate each and every one of you. Seriously. Reviews have me grinning like a fool, so I greatly appreciate those of you who take the time to pass on your thoughts. I read every one!

Without further adoooooooo ….

 **18**

I wasn't sure if Eric had moved so quickly with travel arrangements because he was excited to see me, or because spontaneity is the hardest thing to predict, or track.

Truthfully, I really didn't care, because it meant I had a flight back to the Americas that same evening I had called.

I packed everything in the small apartment so fast I was verging vampire speed and I felt the small amount of blood between Eric and I humming with anticipation. The buildup of our reunion was already so anticipated, any more suspense and I might explode.

I didn't even fold things, I literally just threw them. Some I even balled into the corners, not caring what they'd look like when I arrived. A part of my training was acceptance, and I had spent some time reflecting my current position in life, and accepting what I wanted to change and where I wanted to be when I returned.

Before I had relocated to Sweden, I hadn't bothered to touch base with anyone back in Bon Temps. Tara and I had drifted apart, my brother was a space cadet (but probably still attempting to raid my empty fridge weekly) and who knows about Sam. I'm sure a certain high-handed vampire mentioned that I was on an extended leave, but needless to say it hadn't rated high on my priority list to call him and inform him of all the traumas my involvement with the undead and lemon-intolerant communities had led to. I realized that those conversations were heading to the top of my "to do" list as I returned.

Because as much as they drove me crazy with their small-town minds sometimes, those people made me feel safe just as much as the immortals that had entered my life. I sure wasn't the same Sookie Stackhouse that had left over 4 years ago, but I believed in my roots. Gran had been adamant about that. I had struggled internally about understanding her fairy philandering and came to the conclusion that although it seemed hypocritical and against our Catholic beliefs, it was something Gran had decided for her and I could not judge her for it now.

I zipped my small suitcase closed, and took one last glance around the small room. I imagined this would be what it would feel like to say goodbye to your college dorm. I felt like I had matured here. I had learned things, I had pushed my boundaries, and I was excited and saddened to say goodbye to it. But I knew that it was time, I was ready for a change, and I was ready for a new life where I would not be as stubborn and naïve as I had been in the past. Acceptance.

I walked out of the room and found Thalia standing by the door. She gave me a small nod.

"I have … enjoyed our time" she said somewhat hesitantly. "You are a strong woman Sookie Stackhouse" she said, stepping to stand in front of my and lightly grasp my forearms "Never forget what you are capable of." She gave me a small warm smile, and stepped away again. "I will not be joining you on your flight, I will be returning to my nest for some time. I hope you will call me should you move in arms in the near future".

"Of course" I said, nodding. The time for war would come, but there would be strategizing and research beforehand. Knowing Thalia would come to my side at my call left me with a feeling of awe and reverence. This was the third vampire over a millennia old that I have earned the respect of in a short period of time. Eric, Godric, and now Thalia. It was hard to wrap my head around, but also gave me a confidence boost. I must not be the "Crazy Sookie" I had been ostracized as for so long.

"Thank you Thalia." I said reverently. I felt my eyes watering and knew that display of emotion was sure to have her running for the hills, so I held them in. "You have been such a mentor to me. I will never forget your kindness and training. _Mulţumesc._ " I had googled the translation of thank you in her native language (Roman) and spent days trying to get the pronunciation right. I'm sure it was still less than perfect, but my pronunciation was from the heart. I said it with a heart full of emotion and gratitude and was repaid with another warm smile from Thalia. A rarity equivalent to an eclipse I had heard.

"Master has arranged your transportation directly from here, to the airport. You will be arriving in New Orleans for this night and then moving forward with the Master and Godric from there. Remember to use your training child". Meaning, keep your shields tight but screen those who would have an effect on your safety. I nodded. "The car has arrived" I nodded again, and boldly leaned in to give her a hug.

"Bye Thalia"

"Goodbye Sookie"

We broke apart and I lowered my shields. I could hear noise from the floors below, but quickly adjusted so that the only participant in my view was the driver. Vampire. Of course. I walked out of the door with one last nod to my mentor, and made my way to the elevator as I poked at the void that was my escort to the airport.

Vampires are still voids to me, but as I learned in Fae, I can see the tinge of their intentions in colours. They all have a cloud of dark grey due to their undead status, but emotions that run high will show in colours. I saw a tinge of green, which could mean many things. Envy, jealousy, greed. As the elevator made its way to the lobby I exited and could see in the reception monitors that the car was parked immediately out front, my escort standing near the passenger side awaiting my arrival.

He had fire engine red hair, freckles, and a tall scrawny build. As I walked across the lobby and closer to the two exit doors (swipe and code accessed) I realized that this green tinge was a more anxious energy. He was nervous, and on high alert. I made my way through the doors and nodded at him.

"Good evening Miss" he gave me a slight bow and walked towards me to grab my luggage. "May I?" I nodded and he encouraged me to enter the glistening black town car. I had changed into one of the rare business attire clothing I had brought with me. Black dress pants with a slight flare, a flowy navy blue sleeveless blouse and a heavy winter pea coat (with hood of course). Small "power pumps" finished the outfit with my hair loose and mascara. I noticed a slight up-down from my escort, as he quickly deposited my carry-on bag in the trunk and closed the door behind me. I took shot gun, to his surprise (which always came in orange, like a firework, I loved that one) and he introduced himself as Clancy.

The ride to the airport was quiet and rather quick. Clancy was to travel with me where I would be met by another member of Eric's entourage. As we neared the airport I again lowered my shields to scan those who would be near the tarmac. This was much easier said than done, as my anxiety cranked up a few notches when I realized how many people were around. _Duh_ – airport. Still, it took some practiced meditative breathing to ensure to myself that I could handle this and that I would be prepared for anything and everything.

My scan proved fruitful as I caught red angry tinges near an isolated private plane we were headed towards. I told Clancy to slow down and told him what I had found. To my surprise he nodded.

"Those are our other accompaniment miss. Master required extra precautions for this conference" he said discreetly. Meaning, he wanted to ensure we had protection both in flight and post boarding. I nodded and calmed myself again. I scanned the pilots and support staff and found them all to have a slight lust for a certain Viking, but nothing malicious. Thank goodness.

We boarded and settled but I was still unable to relax, even once we got in the air. I couldn't let my guard down, not until I knew it was safe. Clancy mentioned our flight would not be direct, and I knew that to mean to keep my hood up and face lowered when we made our connections.

It made our travel time drag, but knew it was a worthwhile precaution.

Finally, we arrived in New Orleans. We exited in a formation, me sandwiched with Clancy in front and a were on my three other sides (right left and rear). They stayed close enough that to an untrained eye you wouldn't be able to see me amidst so much height and muscle (aside from Clancy). We walked quickly, and I kept stride with my protectors, casting out my mental net and keeping my hood high and gaze lowered. We approached another black town car and as I scanned the driver I felt the pink flush of familiarity. I knew this person somehow.

Clancy stowed my luggage as one of the weres opened my door and deposited my in the back seat, before climbing shot gun. The three weres held position surrounding the car until Clancy nodded, and we drove off. As I removed my hood I made eye contact with my driver.

"Cute shoes" she said in her usual bored manner.

"Thanks, Prada" I said with a slight shrug.

"You don't say" she feigned surprise in her well versed sarcasm.

Pam had quickly found ways to reach out to me in my time away. First it was texts to the untraceable phones of different food and alcohol for me to try, it morphed into packages delivered to PO boxes that were always of the fashion variety. She helped me explore in her sneaky ways, and enjoy more than just finding the warrior within. I found my fashionista too, and a friend in Eric's child.

The drive was much longer, and I drifted off, feeling safe in Pam's company. A few hours later the car stopped, and I awoke to the sound of the doors closing. I bolted upright and lowered my shields.

Red hot lust, passion, and need hit me. I took a deep breath as I was assaulted by the velocity of the emotions. It wasn't just the colours and the intensity, but that I was feeling every emotion as if it was my own. The bond. Eric had said our bond was different, but I had not realized how much so. Using my training I reached towards the connection and stroked, sending admiration, affection and my own lust back. In a matter of seconds my door opened, and a hand reach in towards me.

"Hello lover" Eric's beautiful face leaned down to my level as I accepted his hand, and he gracefully helped me out of the vehicle. As our hands connected the red pulsed and danced like a flame, as Eric placed my hand on his shoulder, and his on my waist.

I didn't hesitate, and quickly wrapped my other hand at the nape of his neck and leaned towards him. Kissing him softly on the lips I ran my fingers through his hair. I had meant for it to be a chaste lip grazing, but Eric let out a deep guttural moan and flexed his hands on my waist. He kissed me back with urgency, bruising my lips as he teased them with his tongue. I gave as good as I got and when I opened my mouth to invite his tongue to play, I felt his fangs snick down. His chest rumbled as he pulled me against his cold hard body, feeling his arousal, before he slowly disconnected.

"Inside. Now" He whispered against my ear, licking the outside softly before taking my hand and moving us towards what I assumed was one of his safe houses.

It was discreet. It was a crescent of a clearly expensive subdivision, the lots had plenty of space between neighbours, and to the outside eye could easily be a neighbourhood of well off doctors and lawyers who had dinner parties once a month. I chuckled at the extravagant simplicity. Hiding in plain sight. Clever.

The driveway was a nice cobblestone, leading up to a large three car garage door with intricate wood in a barn-door style and lavish entryway. The house was beige with dark brown wood accents. It had a rustic feel, similar to that of the bunker I had stayed in after my return, and seemed to be very Eric's style. Cottagey-practical.

Pam and Clancy had disappeared inside, and as we entered the large home, we made our way to the kitchen. The front door opened to a large sized foyer with stairs straight ahead, off to the right was the large living room and kitchen area. The living room had an enormous natural fireplace surrounded by plush furniture, and large arching natural wood accents. Pam, Clancy and Godric were grouped around the large kitchen island sipping stemless glasses of blood. Godric smiled as I entered and walked over to give me a tender hug.

"Welcome back" he murmured in my hair, before placing a quick kiss there and returning to his place leaning against the counter. Pam and Clancy were talking about some Summit that was going to be happening in a few weeks. Pam was gushing about the ball, and how she would need a new dress and an escort. Clancy was cheekily attempting to secure her as his date. Godric sat there with a small smirk on his lips, and Eric hadn't taken his eyes off me.

"Would you like something to eat?" I almost jumped, not realizing he had leaned down so close to me to ask me. I shook my head as another jolt of red fire went through my lady business. I realized we were still holding hands.

"Can you give me a tour?" All three vampires looked at us with a knowing look. Eric gave me a similar predatory grin before saying "of course". I think Pam tossed a "have fun" at us before Eric lead me out of the kitchen towards the staircase upstairs, but I couldn't be sure.

We had no sooner turned the corner before I felt my feet leave the ground and my legs wrap around Eric's waist as he pinned me to the wall. He had vamped us up to the top of the stairs, and had secured my hands in one of his large ones over my head.

Hm.

His lips took an exquisite tour of my neck as he bit playfully, before grabbing the bottom of my eardrum in between his blunt human teeth. His other hand had me firmly under the ass, and was quickly moving towards my heated core.

"I greatly enjoyed your imagination last night" he grumbled, grinding his very present arousal into me.

"Oh?" I tried to register what he was saying, but all I could pay attention to was his delicious muscle pressed against me. The circles his hips were making were already building me towards the release I did not get when waking today. His mouth descended and his tongue immediately demanded entrance and I moaned. _Yes._

I ground harder down onto him as we kissed with abandon before he moved to the other side of my neck.

"Yes, I think I may just tie you to the headboard tonight" he said, before his lips crashed back onto mine and I felt us vamp towards what I very much hoped to be the bedroom.


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: *smirks* Hellloooooooo my beautiful readers.**

 **Are you ready for some lemony goodness? Cause lemme say, I got some stored. For obvious reasons this is a MATURE chapter and NSFW.**

 **I had one or two reviews asking about my direction for this story. Well, you heard it here first folks, your guess is as good as mine! I kind of just took this daydream of mine for a spin and have been trying to keep you interested, and include some plot. How am I doing? I won't lie I (half) created this purely for some SnEric…Erookie? … Whatever it is … I like 'em. Together. Preferably sans garments. Can ya tell? :D This chapter is purely reunion, with some revenge and plot in the next one.**

 **Reviews are my motivation! Thanks for reading.**

 **~L**

 _LAST TIME_

" _I greatly enjoyed your imagination last night" he grumbled, grinding his very present arousal into me._

" _Oh?" I tried to register what he was saying, but all I could pay attention to was his delicious muscle pressed against me. The circles his hips were making were already building me towards the release I did not get when waking today. His mouth descended and his tongue immediately demanded entrance and I moaned. Yes._

 _I ground harder down onto him as we kissed with abandon before he moved to the other side of my neck._

" _Yes, I think I may just tie you to the headboard tonight" he said, before his lips crashed back onto mine and I felt us vamp towards what I very much hoped to be the bedroom._

• • •

As we travelled faster than the human eye could track, I felt myself become airborne and I couldn't help the small squeak that left me. Eric had brought us to what appeared to be his bedroom (the master of course) at the top of the stairs, and tossed me from the door to the (extremely) large bed in the middle of the room. The length of the toss was long enough that I was worried what I would land on, and a substantial amount of time for him to lock the door (complete with deadbolts, finger AND retinal scan).

It was like a small death drop on a roller coaster. I also quickly realized it was a two-fold benefit for him.

After engaging the security, Eric vamped back over to me with a wolfish grin.

"Enjoy your trip?" he asked, sniffing my jugular and quickly landing one of his large legs between my open ones.

I was panting and my heart rate had increased, along with a healthy dose of adrenaline running through my veins due to both lust and surprise. I was a vampire's dream cocktail. Like I wasn't amped up enough.

"Payback's a bitch, vampire" I bluffed, curling one of my legs around his and lifting my opposite hip simultaneously . I knew I couldn't overpower him without his consent but I had a feeling he wouldn't argue.

Sure enough, as I lifted my hip he let me raise my body off the bed and flip my body on top of his, landing me straddling him.

 _Yumm._

With Eric's blood and the 3 month training hiatus, my lady business had healed as much as it was going to. Thanks to the sexy Viking underneath me I had next to no scars, but there was some lingering ones I had felt on one of my own explorations that I knew was still jagged.

I placed my hands on Eric's chest and began unbuttoning the black button down he was wearing. My fingers played with the collar, as the other deftly undid the buttons one at a time, leaning towards his lips to taste him again. This kiss was more languid and slow, our lips gyrating as our hips were and my tongue playing with the outline of his mouth. When my hands finally had my desire result, Eric sat up causing me to lean back as we both divested him of the garment.

My right hand reached to the back of neck, as my legs came out from under me to circle him again, crossing my ankles above his delicious rear. His chest began to rumble as his head dipped towards my collar bone, and his hands began a revered exploration of my body.

"Too many clothes" he huskily whispered as his nose moved from behind my ear to my shoulder, and across my collarbone. His large hands grabbed my hips, caressing me as I sat atop his rock hard member. His growling increased and vibrated through his delicious chest, making my hands move from behind his head to his traps and shoulders.

Just as I was about to form words, our eyes connected, and the fire danced. It was like a taser shock and resulted in Eric's nimble hands ripping the blouse and jacket from my body.

 _Yes._

I may have said it aloud but I couldn't be sure, because the action was quickly followed by Eric's mouth descending on my chest. His large hands splayed out on my back, and his lips kissed, sucked, and danced down towards my aching nipples. They were pert and firm and when his left hand palmed my right breast, I let my head roll back on a gasp. His mouth quickly moved to my left nipple where he teasingly licked it, barely touching it, before he blew his cool breath on it.

A strangled moan made its way up my throat as my hand returned to the back of his head, holding him to me.

 _I missed you_. I thought. _Min kung._ A shiver rippled through me as I thought the words. He was. He was my _King_ , not because he owned me, or I owed him my loyalty. Because he was my warrior, my protector, my idol in so many ways. But most of all I now felt he was my _equal_. I felt I was worthy to stand beside him. And he was the only one I would bow to and give all power over me. Because I knew he would never betray that.

I had felt it on my return when he had healed me.

I had felt it for the past three months through the bond we shared.

And tonight I would show him.

As if he had heard me, his gaze met mine again and I pushed against him to lay him flat against the silk sheets once again. I kissed him with passion and frenzy, and instead of avoiding his fangs that had been down for some time, I traced them with my tongue. My right hand holding his jaw, my hips spread wide and grinding into him, noses touching. He stayed still for me, and as I drew back slightly to keep his gaze, I reached with my tongue to cut it against his fang. I slid my tongue further into the depths of his mouth again, and the growl he emitted verged painful and I knew he was close to losing control.

I slide my tongue deeper and withdrew, and whispered against his bottom lip and into his eyes:

"I'm yours Erik" emphasizing the Swedish pronunciation of his name.

He tore my pants and panties with one hand, flipped us, and tore the rest of his clothing with the other.

His left arm supported me and his right returned to grasp my right thigh as he kissed me frantically. My blood driving him higher and higher in his passion filled mauling.

He positioned himself at my entrance and I tensed out of panic. He stilled until I opened my eyes, his left hand supporting his weight, and his right moving to brush my hair from my face.

As our eyes connected again he kept his forehead resting against mine and said "There you are _mitt ljus_. Still with me?"

I felt the panic drain from my body as I exhaled. This was my Viking. My body hadn't been touched this way since my kidnapping. It reacted to things before my mind could process what they were, assuming the worst. But one look into his arctic blues I knew this was _right_. He would never hurt me.

My right hand grabbed his glorious backside and my left grabbed the back of his neck again as I nodded.

"I don't plan on going anywhere for a while" I said with false sexy bravado, both of us smiling at the small lie that it was. He leaned in again and brushed my lips with his, moving his right hand down my body as the chaste kiss deepened.

His long fingers found my slick heat, and he used it to coat his thumb, rubbing lightly against my clitoris. After all this teenage necking, I was more than ready, but his teasing just worked me up even more. I found myself moaning against his mouth, and when he added one of those long digits inside me, I came crashing down around it, squeezing and contracting in pure bliss.

I closed my eyes and panted, as he moved his hands to his own engorged member, spreading my juices over himself and watching my elation. Then he moved the thick tip of himself to my entrance and I swear I almost came again right there.

So big. So gloriously big. He pushed forward slowly, letting me stretch to fit him inside me as he slid deliciously all the way to the hilt. As he bottomed out inside of me he whispered in Old Norse something that sounded like a prayer to Oden. His forehead leaned against mine again, before he leaned back slightly, his right hand now firmly on my hip. He slid out, almost all the way, before sliding back inside me with more purpose.

A loud moan escaped my and the fire jumped like a firework. My eyes met his with a similar wide expression, and he repeated the motion, both of us letting out small yelps as he continued to work into a frantic pounding inside of me.

My hands turned predatory, and my nails raked every inch of him I could find.

I yelled, I bucked, I begged him to fuck me into oblivion and never let me go. Pounding into me mercilessly, he leaned back down to me and kissed me with full blunt teeth, fang and tongue. He moved into the hollow of my neck again, lifting my right leg higher with him and my chanting reached a new octave.

"I'm so close Erik, please. _Please_. Bite me"

Without a moment's hesitation, he slid his fangs into my neck and I came apart underneath him. After two pulls, Eric came with a thunderous roar, his muscles shaking as I clung to him in exhausted bliss.

He collapsed on top of me and stayed nuzzled into the crook of my neck, almost panting along with me. After a moment, he turned my face towards him and kissed me softly.

"I missed you too"


	20. Chapter 20

_AN: Happy Friday beautiful people!_

 _I swear I am going to update ONE chapter where I am not apologizing to you for not updating in forever. I swear, it's gonna happen…. Soon._

 _Life kicked me in the teeth these past few months. Break up. New job. LIFE. When it rains it pours, right? Thank you to every single one of you of have fav'd followed and reviewed. I read every one of them and I can't tell you how appreciative I am._

 _I know this one is short, I am trying to get my mojo going again and work the plot thing into this (lol)._

 _Love y'all_

 _LAST TIME: the lemony reunion_

 _He collapsed on top of me and stayed nuzzled into the crook of my neck, almost panting along with me. After a moment, he turned my face towards him and kissed me softly._

 _"I missed you too"_

I didn't even care what those four words meant. Eric had read my mind. As that realization settled I felt a warmth spread with it. I was more than okay with that.

Huh. Weird.

As someone who knows how intrusive being in another's head can feel, I was surprised at my rather quick acceptance of Eric hearing my thoughts. Then again I had projected them to him in all my sincerity. It would not surprise me if that was the bond but still. I did not want this being an unspoken aspect give all the other un-pleasant aspects of the bond we had discovered through pain.

I laid there, stroking my fingers through his hair until I could finally catch my breath. Eric lay there still nuzzling and licking my neckline until he was satisfied my heart wasn't going to beat out of my chest. With a small nod he rolled to his side, sliding out of me, but keeping my one leg hooked over his hip as his fingers traced a line from my hip to ankle in slow motions.

"I didn't say that you know" I said to his muscular chest, sighing as I tucked my body further into him.

"Say what?" he replied. His voice took on a tone of a lazy cat who had just awoken from a lovely nap in the sun.

"That I missed you" his signature smirk appeared and he tilted his chin to look down at me.

"Yes you did" he chuckled, leaning towards me with a leer. "I heard it".

I kept his gaze and placed my hand on his chest.

"I didn't say it out loud"

His eyes shaded slightly so I continued talking to clarify.

"I thought them at you. I am wondering if it is another extension of the bond"

He didn't react right away, but kept my gaze a few moments longer, as if waiting for me to sweat or smell of fear. When I didn't he nodded his head and leaned into my lips again. He kissed me slowly, his trailing fingertips becoming his full palm, as he finished his last trail with a firm large hand on my buttocks.

"But you cannot read my thoughts?" he asked in a tone that implied he already knew the answer.

"No." I confirm. Another nod and he throws a grumbled "That is fine".

His large hand is now massaging my buttocks as his long fingers toy dangerously low to my still tingling lady business. I was about to drift off to sleep I was so comfortable when Eric's low voice rouses me.

"How was your training?"

He had asked me this almost every night we spoke while I was in Sweden and my answer was usually the same.

"Exhausting and productive" I smirked.

"And what did you think of my native country?"

"It is gorgeous. I could never get tired of exploring it." He hummed in agreement.

"Perhaps we should return for a vacation together" His large right arm that was underneath us now wraps around my back, effectively hugging me farther into him and his other hand moves from its tantalizing place on my rear to stroke my sweaty hair back from my face. Feeling the beads of sweat and stickiness I am coated with an idea comes into my head. I hum my approval as Eric continues to play with my hair and drop the occasional kiss on my forehead as I start to gather my power.

Eric's fangs snap down "Sook-"

 _POP_

Before he realized, I relocated us to the bathroom I had registered in the right corner of the suite. There were large sliding doors, one he had left open, that lead into a large tiled expanse that was the scale of a high-end spa. Rearranging our bodies mid-pop was not something I was familiar with, so we unfortunately ended up a tangled mess of limbs on the tile floor and I yelped at the chill of it.

Eric on the other hand let out a large belly laugh.

"Oh Sookie, your surprises are never ending" he grins, as he comes down from his boyish interlude.

Chuckling along with him I quickly stand and jaunt over to the large waterfall shower in the back corner of the black tiled room and turn on the water.

He gets up and locates towels for us at a human pace and when I'm finally satisfied the water is warm enough I step further into the small glassed off corner cove. Eric returns with some bottles of shampoo, soap and a loofah and quickly begins to lather his hands and me with it.

His hands begin a slow exploration of my body as I submerge myself in the large spray. The showerhead is large enough that we can both stand under it and it truly feels as if you were outside under a waterfall. The walls are a few meters from the spray, and there is a bench in the corner as well next to what almost looks like a fire pit. Noticing my gaze Eric informs me that the space can turn into a sauna as well by the buttons on the walls.

"So what have I missed while I've been away?" Eric turns me so my back is facing his chest as he begins to move the soapy loofah over the other side of my body. Down my arms, to my hip bones, across my stomach, and slowly around my breasts and across my collarbone.

"Nothing of interest" he replies. His right hand continues to bathe me with suds, as his left begins caressing in the same motions.

"Eric" I say, wanting to understand what his life is like, what we were going to do now that I was back, and any threats or possible concerns to me now that I was back in the Americas. I was not naïve enough to think that all the threats to me had disappeared just because my three months of training had been so peaceful. It takes an army, and an army of Eric's is one that would not lose. But that doesn't mean they were never tested in that time. My tone implied I was going to be stubborn about this and I heard Eric sigh. A sound I had provoked from him a few times in the short time we had been (somewhat) together since my return from Faery.

"You won't let me enjoy this until I tell you will you?" he said, the pout evident in his tone and on his face. I gave one stern shake of my head as I took a small step forward into the water and away from his hands.

"Fine." He relents. "Niall has every one of his people looking for you. Both formally and informally. He has planted spies and even gone to the Supernatural Council. He has claimed you were kidnapped."

The sharp bitter laugh that escaped me with that was unavoidable. "Bastard!" I exclaimed, and peaked over my shoulder and nodded for him to continue. As I turned my head I noticed that he was unmoving, staring at me with such desire and hunger in his eyes. I knew then that this would be a debrief before we would strategize after. Once would never be enough for either of us. I turned slowly and he began talking more hurriedly.

"We have been tip toeing with Russel, Bill and his maker, who were partnered with Steve Newlin and your kidnapping. We have learned that they were all in partnership in terms of selling your blood but as it never came to fruition we cannot penalize them for the plot that was fouled. Bill has been sniffing around and was desperately trying to hack into my securities to find you for the last month and a half. He has created a hacking program and a database that is supposed to be useful for supernaturals but he has not been able to outsmart out team. He is building to a larger demonstration though, it is a matter of time." With the last comment his eyes, that had been deliciously travelling up and down my body during his quick report now locked back on my eyes.

"What is your plan?" I asked. Knowing that Eric has been playing cat and mouse with Bill and his hoard to get him to the position he wants. If Bill is moving to a demonstration Eric has put him there, and knows which one he will use and when.

"I will end him. But I do not want to do so before I understand the higher involvement. Russel being involved in a money plot does not make sense. His richer than dirt, he doesn't need the money." I nodded along with him. "I have a meeting planned tomorrow night with my team to strategize our next moves" I quirked an eyebrow at him. "I plan to introduce you to them as my future bonded" he states keeping my gaze in his determined one. It is his turn to quirk an eyebrow at me, waiting for my response. What he was expecting was certainly not what he got.

I closed the step between us and threw my legs around him in one movement. I crossed my ankles and held my weight up against him as I planted a full kiss on his lips. It was quick but thorough with both of our eyes open. His hands now rested low under my ass, spreading my legs deliciously as he growled, his fangs now down and his eyes throbbing with lust.

"Yes _min kung_ " I knew he had heard me think it at him last night, but it was the first I had told him. I had read more about the traditional power structure of Vikings and villages and knew that by calling him My King I was telling him more than just I trusted him. I was telling him I valued him. I honoured him and most of all that I believed in him and would fight beside him and behind him any and every time.

He growled again, tipping his forehead against mine, and purposely impaled me slowly on his large member. The fluid motion caused me to close my eyes and let out a guttural moan.

"Du kommer att bli min drottning" he harshly whispered in my ear, as he began pound into me. His pace was fast and demanding and I cried out, taking everything he gave me.

"Yes, make me yours. Make me yours forever"

He pounded into me even faster, nearing vampire speed and I knew I would never regret this.

Our future would be as warriors.

As fighters and as leaders.

We would face our enemies together and destroy anything that dare challenge us.

TRANSLATION:

"You will be my Queen"

I've still got a few more chapters left but I have an idea for a way to end this crazy story!

Thanks for reading


	21. Chapter 21

_Hello readers!_

 _Promise I haven't forgotten about this one (or my other story, Nocturnal). I am coming out of my funk and am getting my mojo back. This chapter is a lot of plot and background of some of the loopholes from earlier chapters. I'm already working on the next chapter so there shouldn't be much of a delay in that one. Thanks for your support, and hope you like it!  
_

 _Can you guess who Bill's Grandsire is?_

 _Enjoy, and reviews are love :)_

 _. . ._

Bill strode confidently into the large scale hotel in Mississippi, his small carry-on bag wheeling behind him. He nodded to the front desk lady, who he had glamoured earlier for a suite under a fake name. His demonstration of his supernatural database was planned for this evening, at midnight, in the safe room of the penthouse suite he was in. Majority of the vampire monarchs would be attending as well as a few other powerful supernaturals.

Bill was about to become a very rich man. His maker, Lorena had not been pleased when he had failed his mission of kidnapping Sookie Stackhouse in order to pimp her blood, but he had regained her favour, along with his Grandsire's when he further developed his database. The database he had created was an ancestry program that tracked bloodlines as far back as the ancients, and could be passed on to the highest bidder for select permissions for the right price.

After using his connections with the Queen, and some very well placed glamoured donors, he was able to collect not only information but blood samples of some of the most important and powerful supernaturals. He had of course started with the nest of Sophie-Ann, as her donors were the most vast and easily manipulated, and then expanded to his Grandsire's.

Nothing like an ancient lunatic to fuel your own research. Distracted with marriage negotiations to Sohpie-Ann, and what she could bring to the agreement, he never considered that Bill could use both his business and personal relations to further expand his data. Then again, he was also bargaining with the Fae in order to develop the best and worst kind of supernatural.

A hybrid.

But their test subject had not been very helpful. His sanity had been a concern from the start, with his zealous religious background. Bill had found him after he had been bitten by a local were panther and he seemed a good test subject as he was likely to die anyways, and was cast out from the pack. But his turning did not go smoothly, and he needed more than vampire blood to survive. Sophie-Ann had miraculously thought of the idea to use Fae blood, after discovering her pet and future child had hints of the effects in her blood, however diluted.

 _Tasty and efficient_. Bill licked his lips as he remembered the sample he had received. Sophie-Ann was hesitant to share, but came about quickly with some strong arming. Sadly the pet did not last long after the efficiency was in fact proven, and Sohpie-Ann lost another few brain cells at the loss of Hadley. _All for the love of research_. Bill's research had quickly evolved after that experiment, but he was quite upset that he could not test the long term effects after the test subject was killed in the foiled kidnapped of Sookie Stackhouse.

But Steve Newlin had never been very reliable anyways.


End file.
